The Stationmaster's Daughter
by CatsCradle22
Summary: Lucy is the daughter of a small town stationmaster. Natsu is the son of the Lord of Magnolia. The kingdom of Fiore seems peaceful enough but... what are those movements in the shadows? Natsu and Lucy must work together with their friends to find out; and they may find themselves discovering some new feelings on the way.
1. Chapter 1

Lucy Heartfilia woke suddenly, bolting upright in bed. She turned to her window and noticed the sun streaming in through her sheer curtains. Birds chirped, greeting one another as the start of another lovely day dawned. However, this was no ordinary day. This was the beginning of summer! No more boring lessons with her tutors and no dreary weather to bundle up against. Today was also the day he arrived for the first time in eleven years. Lord Natsu Dragneel of Magnolia was coming to spend the summer in his family's old country home. He would be coming with only a few workers to help keep the large house in order. His father, the last remaining family he knew of, had passed eleven years ago in the same year as her very own mother had passed. Since that year, Natsu had not once visited the little village he used to spend every summer in.

Lucy was both excited and nervous. She and Natsu had been best friends when they were little but time and loss change people. She was quite afraid that he would no longer remember her, for she had changed as every girl does when becoming a woman. Her personality had evolved as well, mostly due to her mother's death and her father's withdrawal from her life. Lucy had always been kind but her wild energy had been tempered by the need to mature fast to take care of herself. She had always been a bright girl but now her mind was as sharp as a needle; it had to be thus so that she would not fall into the traps her scheming father would casually lay for her.

Jude Heartfilia had withdrawn from society but still tried to rule Lucy's life from the shadows. He would set her up on "meetings" with clients for the railroad which usually turned into proposals from suitors. Lucy could never find it in herself to accept such proposals. She wished to marry for love as her parents had done and also, she couldn't help feeling like she was waiting for something, or someone. Jude also threw himself into his work, spending long hours locked in the offices of the train station, for he was the stationmaster of their tiny village. His position was thought of as just as powerful as the mayor of the town. Jude controlled what goods could come in and leave the town and scheduled the passenger trains as well. Offending him may mean sacrificing a vacation or child's birthday gifts.

Lucy dressed herself in a simple blue frock and pulled her somewhat unruly hair back into a sophisticated bun. She slipped into her brown boots and smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. Smiling at her reflection, she stood just a little straighter and headed down to breakfast.

Breakfast was made by their cook, Mrs. Supetto. She was part of a very small set of household help including one maid, a butler and a librarian who also managed the accounts. Mrs. Supetto became like a mother to Lucy once Layla Heartfilia died. They would eat breakfast together since normally Jude couldn't be bothered to come home and eat. Today was different.

When Lucy entered the small dining room of their home, the first thing she noticed was her father sitting at the head of the table. Immediately, Lucy dropped into a shallow curtsey as she demurely greeted her father. "Good morning Father."

She received no answer and the two ate in silence. As the meal was being cleared, Jude stood and looked down at his daughter. "I'm sure you are aware of today's event. Lord Dragneel is coming to stay for the summer. The mayor has informed me that he and his daughter Annalise will be greeting Lord Dragneel when he arrives. Of course, I will be unable to attend as I have business matters to attend to but I expect you to be there in my stead. His train arrives promptly at ten o'clock this morning." He instructed his daughter.

For once, this was a task Lucy was happy to perform. She knew that her father would be sure to compete with the mayor on anything. Jude Heartfilia was all about advancing to the next position in life. He was always looking up the ladder and didn't stop to rest on any one rung. Layla Heartfilia had been different. She balanced her ambitious husband out perfectly. Layla would often walk the village talking to the citizens and making friends. When Lucy was very young, she remembered her mother taking her walks and allowing Lucy to join them. It was this way that Lucy met Natsu…

 _Layla Heartfilia was deep in conversation with the baker's wife. Lucy loved visiting the baker since she often got a treat or two. This time, she'd been given two sweet buns and was happily eating the first one. However, as the conversation continued, Lucy found herself growing bored and restless. Adult conversations were impossible for her to follow and she frankly didn't think they were interesting in the least. Instead, Lucy began to take in her surrounding, being the curious girl that she was. As she looked across the street, she saw a boy with interesting pink hair sulking on the curb. Looking both ways, as her mother taught her, Lucy crossed the street and approached him._

 _"Excuse me! What are you doing sitting here by yourself?" Lucy asked politely. Mama said she should always be polite, even if the person was rude._

 _The pink haired boy looked up, seeming surprised that somebody had stopped to talk to him. "My dad kicked me out because he's having boring meetings all day! I was gonna go fishing but my rod broke and now I don't have anything to do." He complained._

 _Lucy nodded in understanding, "My Mama's talking to the baker lady. She's really nice but they keep talking about boring stuff. She gave me a sweet bun though! Do you want my other sweet bun? I don't think I can eat two of them."_

 _The boy's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. "Really?! I love sweet buns! I'm super hungry too because I couldn't catch fish to eat!" he exclaimed. He took the offered bun and bit into it, moaning happily in delight. Lucy joined him on the curb and the two ate their sweet treats in companionable silence. When they had licked the last of the sticky sweetness from their fingers, the pink haired boy looked over at her and grinned with a grin that split his face from ear to ear and seemed to make the street a little bit lighter. "I'm Natsu! Do you want to be my friend?"_

 _Lucy's cheeks turned a little bit pink, though she didn't know why. "My name is Lucy. I don't mind being your friend." She answered a bit shyly._

Lucy found herself smiling at the memory. She and Natsu had played all day that day and Natsu had walked with her back to the Heartfilia residence. He had been taught by his father that true dragons didn't let ladies walk home by themselves. Lucy had laughed when Natsu first explained that he and his father were dragons. It was a notion springing from the Dragneel coat of arms and Natsu's personal love of the mythical beasts. Igneel Dragneel used it as a platform for teaching the wild boy many lessons he otherwise would not have paid mind to.

The pair had quickly become the best of friends and were both distressed when they had to be separated come fall. However, Igneel brought Natsu back each summer and for two years that was how things were. Each time Natsu would arrive, he would find Lucy somewhere in town and Lucy would always have a sweet bun to share with him. This idea made Lucy gasp. She grabbed a small green purse and rushed out of her house. She could make it to the bakers and still have time to be at the train station before Natsu's train arrived!

…

Natsu sat on the train feeling miserable. He had terrible motion sickness that would come about even at the thought of transportation. The only exception to this rule was the small hamlet train station he was bound for. This particular station brought up thoughts of its stationmaster which brought up thoughts about the stationmaster's daughter. Lucy. Or Luce, as Natsu had called her when they were little. He had missed her during his eleven year absence. Becoming Lord of a vast amount of property (he basically owned all of Magnolia) at such a young age was hard on Natsu Dragneel. Luckily, Igneel's accountant, Makarov Dreyar, was willing to help the seven year old boy keep other prying hands away from his father's lands and wealth until Natsu himself was old enough to take over.

Sadly, this meant no more trips to the summer home. Natsu absolutely refused to sell the place. Makarov brought up how much money they could get for it but Natsu always insisted that he would one day be able to make the yearly trips to the summer home once again. Today was that day. His assets were secured and now that he'd done several favors for Princess Hisui, his position as Lord of Magnolia was completely secured. Magnolia became rather slow and boring during the summer as many families vacationed to the nearby port of Hargeon or on Mount Hakobe where it was nice and cool. It would not be thought of as lazy if the Lord of Magnolia took a vacation of his own.

Natsu's thoughts drifted back to the image of the smiling blond girl he remembered from his youth. Would she still be the same girl he left all those years ago? He had heard some time ago that her mother had passed in the same year as his father. He knew this was going to be hard on her and he wished he could have been there for her. Igneel's death had forced him to change and tame his wilder nature, although he still couldn't quite follow rules. He wondered how much Lucy had changed in his absence. She was a lady now, what if she didn't wish to have fun with him anymore?

The young Lord was brought out of his thoughts by the train's whistle blowing and the conductor announcing their arrival in the small hamlet at the end of the line. Once the train stopped, Natsu felt his nausea recede allowing the butterflies to replace it. He found himself itching to get off the train and go find out the answers to his questions.

His luggage was being handled by the butler who had traveled down with him. Natsu stepped off the train and looked around. The station was not busy in the least. He was one of the only people to get off the train and the others that did quickly vacated the station. Other than the ticket lady, there were only three other people in the station. Natsu was quickly approached by the mayor and his daughter. What was her name again? Belize? He didn't really want to talk to them, he was anxious to get to the third person, a blond with a small green purse and a nervous smile on her face.

Natsu exchanged pleasantries with the mayor, promising to have dinner one night with his family. He smiled politely at the mayor's daughter whose name he learned was Annalise. Thankfully, the mayor announced he and his daughter had other matters to attend to and excused himself. Natsu straightened his vest and quickly made his way over to the blond. Even though she was dressed simply, she was quite obviously a beauty. She'd grown up well and looked like a real lady even if she was from a small village not many had even heard of.

Looking at her, Natsu realized he didn't know how to greet her. Should he be polite or could he greet her like he had when they were little? It turned out, he didn't have to make the decision. Lucy curtseyed to him and said, "Welcome back Natsu." She held out her hand and when he looked down, a huge smile bloomed on his face. In her hand was a sweet bun from the bakery in town. Natsu was surprised to feel the warmth of tears in his eyes as the simple gesture touched him and brought back all the memories of their childhood. He took the sweet bun and then wrapped Lucy in a tight hug.

…

Lucy felt his warmth envelope her and had to blink away moisture in her eyes. She brought her arms up around his torso and hugged him back. "I missed you Luce." She heard his voice for the first time in eleven years. It was deep and rich but held the light notes of his exuberant personality. His words made the last of her nerves fade away.

"I missed you too Natsu. Do you want to eat the treats here or shall I show you around the village?" Lucy offered.

"Let's walk towards my house. I have a lot to tell you." Natsu decided. The pair walked side by side, not touching but closer than was normal for a Lord to walk with a common girl. Neither of them noticed this, or if they did, they paid it little mind. Lucy informed Natsu of the things that had happened to her in the eleven years they had been apart and listened while Natsu did the same.

There was a pause in their conversation during which Natsu looked as though he was trying to figure out how to say something. "Luce… are you out yet?" he asked finally.

Lucy couldn't fathom why that question was so hard for him to ask. "Yes. Father had me presented to the King and Princess Hisui just after I turned sixteen. He was in Crocus on business and brought me along to have it done. I honestly think he did it so he could brag to the mayor about how his daughter was a member of society before Annalise."

Natsu looked slightly uncomfortable again. Lucy was about to change the subject when he spoke, "Why would your father have you presented when he keeps you in this little village? Most of the girls I've heard of get sponsored by some other family and live with them so that they can experience the Season."

Lucy sighed. "That would never sit well with my father. He wouldn't want to rely on the sponsorship of others. After I was presented, we went straight home so I never experienced the Season. That hasn't stopped Father from parading suitors in front of me. I wish I could have gone to some of the parties at least. I've heard they are amazing." Lucy said wistfully.

"Eh, they are rather stuffy and boring if you asked me. I would much rather be on some kind of adventure than at one of those insufferable parties." Natsu said with a frown on his face.

Lucy looked up at him with confusion all over her features. For some reason, Natsu seemed angry and she couldn't think of a thing she might have said that would upset him. Maybe he really did think the parties were that bad? She couldn't imagine how though, Natsu had always liked having fun.

The pair continued on their way to Natsu's country home. Lucy listened to some of the stories Natsu had to tell about life in Magnolia. A soft smile adorned her face as she walked with the boy she had thought would remain a fond memory of her lost childhood. "Hey Lucy what's wrong? Did I say something to offend you?" Natsu's voice suddenly broke through her reverie and Lucy realized that tears had begun to fall from her lashes.

"Oh goodness how embarrassing!" Lucy mumbled, wiping her eyes briskly with her fingers. She was surprised when her fingers were replaced by warm thumbs clearing her cheeks of moisture. "It's silly of me I know. I just never imagined that I would walk with you ever again and I guess I just can't quite believe this is real. I am afraid that if I blink all of this will disappear." Lucy confessed.

Natsu lowered his hands from her face in favor of grabbing his stomach as he laughed. The sound startled Lucy at first but her surprise quickly turned to indignation. "Well I'm glad you find this so amusing!" she huffed as she turned and began to march down the lane towards the grassy fields behind the country home.

Natsu ran to catch up with her, still chuckling. "Oh come on Lucy I'm sorry! Don't be angry with me, please? It's just… you haven't changed very much at all have you? Still saying weird things like talking about this being a dream. Of course it's real! I wouldn't play with you like that would I?" Natsu entreated her.

Lucy continued marching forward but she allowed him to catch up with her. Natsu threw his arm over her shoulders and pulled her into his side. He began to poke her cheek and ribs to entice a smile back on her face. The tactic worked and Lucy shoved him off of her as a giggle escaped her lips. "Stop it you goof!" she whined.

The couple had reached the meadow in the back of the country home. There was a bench under a large cherry tree at the top of a small hill that the pair sat down on. It was pleasantly quiet between the pair until Natsu's thoughts began to wander back to conversations he'd had with his advisors before he left. An awkward tension began to grow between them and Lucy began to fidget, wondering how to make things normal again. "Lucy… would you… do you like living in this tiny village?" Natsu asked slowly.

Lucy took a moment to form her answer. "It is a quiet little place which has its charms. However… I have too much time to myself and there really aren't many people my age to spend time with. Father introduces me to business partners but they are only ever in town for a day or so and they are so… stuffy and boring." She said finally.

"So if I asked you to come back to Magnolia with me at the end of the season, would you come?" Natsu asked. He avoided looking at her though he didn't quite understand why.

Lucy's eyes lit up. "Oh Natsu really?! I would love to come! Oh but it wouldn't be considered appropriate for a young maiden like me to stay with a bachelor like you. And Father would never let me go…" she said.

Natsu frowned at that. "I'll find a way. There are people who owe me favors so I'm sure I can find a way to get you invited out for the Season. I bet even I would enjoy the parties more if you could be there. And… I'm not sure how often I will be able to visit this place." He confessed.

Lucy could no longer stop her curiosity. "Natsu is everything alright? You keep zoning out and even if it has been a while even I know that something is bothering you." She finally asked. She watched as a myriad of expressions crossed his face in mere seconds. She couldn't pick out all of them but Natsu was clearly stressed about something.

"Things in the capital are not all they seem. There is a lot of unrest in our country Lucy and powerful people are trying to make big moves. I really wanted to get away this summer and come to a place where I can relax and just be myself. I haven't had that for a very long time. But it is a lot quieter here than I remember." Natsu answered.

It wasn't really the kind of answer Lucy had been hoping for. He provided little information and steered the conversation back to a more neutral topic just like those embroiled in politics are trained to do. Lucy sent him a look that told him she knew what he was up to but did not question him further. There was a pause in their conversation then and Lucy took the pause to gaze up at the clouds passing overhead. "Why do you really want me to come back to Magnolia with you?" she asked finally.

Natsu's cheeks took on a red glow and he turned away from her to hide it. Internally panicking, Natsu searched for a way to answer her question without thoroughly embarrassing himself. He felt a soft touch on his hand which he had unknowingly clenched into a fist. Turning back to face her, he saw Lucy looking up at him with curiosity and a bit of surprise on her face. Slowly, Natsu opened his fist and laced their fingers together. Lucy's face went pink and Natsu found that he rather liked the expression on her face in that moment. "Magnolia is getting restless. My advisors say that everyone can sense the storm brewing and they say that it would be a great relief to the people if… if I found myself a bride." Natsu admitted reluctantly.

"B-B-Bride?!" Lucy cried, face exploding into tomato sheens of red and heartbeat speeding up exponentially. Natsu could have laughed at her reaction if he wasn't being serious and a bit embarrassed himself.

"All the girls in the capital are either spoken for or wretched people. I find myself having a hard time spending time with many of the opposite sex but… well it's different with you." Natsu continued, still with pink cheeks but gaining a bit of confidence since she had not yet pulled her hand from his. "I can be just Natsu around you, not the Lord of Magnolia. You don't have requirements I must fill before I can speak with you and I know you won't betray me. Of course, my advisors save one were all against me coming here and spending my summer with you but I told them to buzz off. I've never cared what people think of me and besides, I'm the Lord of Magnolia so they have to do what I say."

Lucy looked down at their joined hands and took a deep breath to calm the loud beating of her heart. Of all the suitors she'd had, none had made her heart race like Natsu did. However… "Natsu do you love me?" she asked quietly. Underneath her hand, she felt Natsu tense.

"Well… I have thought about you these past eleven years since we've been apart. I wanted to come back here every summer and a few times I almost ran off to do it. I think you're the most beautiful woman I've ever met and you're kind to me. I… I care about you a lot Lucy. I… I just… I'm not sure if it's love. I know you want to marry for love and I do too but both of us are running out of time. I may have a rebellion on my hands and you are reaching the age where your father will force you to marry." Natsu pointed out. Lucy nodded but still looked dissatisfied. Natsu squeezed her hand to garner her attention. "I promise I will never lie or deceive you in any way Lucy. If in one year's time I can't make my feelings clear to you, I will let you go. But for now, will you do me the honor of allowing me to court you?" he asked.

Lucy was silent for a full minute which seemed to be the longest minute of Natsu's life. "I care about you as well Natsu. However, I too do not know if this feeling is love or not. I've always thought fondly of you even when we were apart. And I know you will treat me well no matter what the outcome. So, I agree to your terms. If in one year we cannot decipher our feelings, we part on good terms. Until that time, you have my permission to pursue me." She said finally.

Natsu grinned at her and drew her in for a hug, finally releasing her hand so that she could place it on his broad back as she returned the hug. "Thank you Lucy! I'll ask your father's permission when we get back to your home. For now, shall we retire to our hovel?" Natsu suggested.

Lucy grinned up at him, excitement filling her features. "You remember the hovel! I've been keeping it up since you left so that if you did ever return, we could still use it. I hope you'll like what I've done with it. I made some new curtains as the old ones were getting moth eaten. I also made a tablecloth for the small kitchen table and there are napkins and oven mitts! Oh! I even got some dishes and a few cooking pots and pans just in case!" Lucy enthused about the hovel. She stood as she was talking and pulled Natsu to his feet. She continued to tell him about the home-y touches she had made to the secret home in the glen as they walked and Natsu felt himself fully relax as he listened.

The hovel was a small, abandoned home that Natsu and Lucy found in one of their adventures. They made it their "base" when they were pretending to be spies or soldiers in a war. It was where Lucy ran when something bad had happened and it was where Natsu knew he could always find her if she was not in town. Nobody else knew of the small hovel or it would have been taken down. It was removed from town and would not be an ideal place for someone to live, even if the glen around it was beautiful.

The glen was in the forest that bordered the town on three sides. It had small patches of wildflowers growing in it and was grassy as well. The hovel stood in the middle of the glen and Lucy had been trying to maintain the flowers and grass as well. It was hard since she had to cut the grass by herself. Lucy didn't want to reveal her secret to anyone since she could keep all her favorite memories with Natsu safe with that secret.

Lucy began to run ahead, taking Natsu's hand and pulling him after her as they neared the glen. "Hurry up slow poke! Did all that time as Lord of a big city make you slow?" Lucy teased him.

Natsu frowned playfully at Lucy's smiling face. Increasing his speed, he shot past her and began to pull her along. "You asked for it Luce!" Natsu failed to see how his speed was making Lucy trip over her own feet. She was about to ask him to slow down just a bit when an unseen root snagged her toe. Natsu turned his head at her shriek and gasped. Lucy was airborne and going to fall even as her grip on his hand tightened. "Luce!" Natsu cried. Thinking fast, Natsu yanked her towards him but he overestimated his own strength and when she plowed into his chest, he was sent falling backwards again.

Lucy gripped Natsu's vest in fear of a hard landing but was startled to feel Natsu wrap his arms around her and his large hand come up to cradle her head, protecting her from harm. They did land hard but Natsu took the brunt of it. They slid a few feet before coming to a stop. Lucy lifted her head when she felt Natsu's arms release her. He'd flung his arms out to the side and let out a relieved sigh. Lucy rolled off of him and flopped off onto her back, looking up at the sky. It started with a giggle that bubbled up in her throat but suddenly Lucy was gasping for breath as she laughed. Natsu joined in her mirth as laughter of his own came bursting to the surface.

They calmed after a few minutes and were left to catch their breath. "Are you alright Natsu? You took the brunt of that. I'm sorry." Lucy said eventually.

Natsu turned his head to look at her and the look in his eyes took Lucy by surprise. He had a soft look in his eyes while a smaller version of his grin was spread across his face. "I'm fine Lucy. How's your ankle? Did you twist it on that root?" he asked, a bit of concern coming into his eyes.

Lucy felt her cheeks heating up. Natsu sure had changed from his usual wild persona since he was young. Ordinarily, Lucy would have to tell him she was hurt before he realized that anything was wrong. Lucy was surprised to see him asking about her until she remembered that they had both grown and matured. "I'm okay Natsu. You caught me before anything could happen. Thanks." Lucy replied.

….

The couple spent the rest of the day working in their hovel. Natsu wanted to add a couple of rooms and add a second floor. He drew up plans and got Lucy so excited for the plan that she began adding in what she would like for each room. The sun was beginning to go down when Natsu reluctantly suggested that he take her home. Lucy nodded and looped her arm through his as he walked with her.

Natsu went to meet with Mr. Heartfilia when he dropped Lucy off at the small manor home. Lucy ate her dinner with Supetto and retired to her room soon after. Her romping with Natsu had worn her out more than she initially thought it would. Lucy had originally planned to eavesdrop on Natsu's conversation with her father but was so tired after supper that she was sure she would either be caught or would not be able to pay attention. It turns out, she would be glad to have missed that conversation.

Natsu left the manor with a clenched fist. "How dare he?! I may not be next in line for the throne but I'm a better match than Lucy may ever get!" he grumbled to himself. He immediately felt bad about what he'd said though. "It's not like Lucy wouldn't attract someone of a higher position than me but… If he never lets her leave this little hamlet how will she meet anyone? And how can he think of her like a thing to be used for his own advantage?!"

Natsu continued to stew over his disappointing conversation with Jude Heartfilia as he readied himself for sleep at his own home. A determined look bloomed on his face as he frowned down at a picture of young Lucy. His gaze softened as he thought about the day he had with Lucy. "I won't bow to him! I won't market myself as someone he can just sell his daughter to. After all, if I do propose, I'm gonna be asking Lucy, not him. It's Lucy's feelings and opinion that matter so that's what I'll go for!"

 **So I have a new story... I would love to know if you all would like me to continue it. I know I'm super slow at updating but that is because I have a very busy life. This creative writing is an outlet for me and a hobby that I enjoy. I like sharing these little stories with you all because I know that your criticism and advice will help me improve as a writer. So thank you all for that. Please leave a review or PM me and tell me if you think I should continue with this story.**

 **CC22**


	2. Chapter 2

2

The next week, it was as if Natsu and Lucy had never been separated. They were often seen in the café together for lunch and would include even Annalise on their adventures when the mayor's daughter was willing. Natsu brought an energetic spark that the little hamlet hadn't seen in a while. He was full of smiles and cheery greetings. He managed to befriend just about everyone in the hamlet which was to his advantage.

Natsu almost exclusively paid attention to Lucy even when he was with Annalise. Sometimes, he and Lucy would go together to their hovel but since the town didn't know where they were, it looked like they were running off together. However, since most of the townspeople loved Natsu, they could not find it in themselves to think badly of the young Lord.

Lucy, meanwhile, was so absorbed in the attention Natsu gave her, she never paused to think how she might become caught up in a scandal. You see, ever since Natsu brought up the idea of courting her, she'd started to think more about the suitors her father had picked for her and why she never returned their affections. She also began to look into the feeling she had that something was missing in her life. As Lucy looked closer at herself, she began to wonder if maybe what she was missing might have been Natsu's presence. That possibility was scary in and of itself since it had implications that made Lucy both nervous and incredibly happy.

For his part, Natsu took this courting business seriously. He made sure to pay Lucy compliments and treat her like a lady even if sometimes his compliments could be a tad bit insulting. He made it his personal mission to make her smile and to keep the smile on her face. He did eventually recount the conversation he had with her father. It did not make her happy but Natsu had promised that he would never lie or keep things from her.

"Basically, he said he would not give me permission until I told him what I could do for him. He wants an in to the castle and the higher political realm of things. I really cannot let that happen for… reasons that I'm unprepared to share. So I didn't tell him anything about… well anything. So then he said that he did not need my offer and to have a nice night." Natsu confessed.

Lucy hung her head and Natsu could not see the expression on her face. He knew she wasn't smiling though, because she always looked right at him when she was. "I'm sorry Natsu." Lucy said finally. She sounded so… vacant and it had Natsu slightly worried. "My father… ever since Mother died he hasn't had anyone to make him think about what he's doing. See, Mother always used to remind him of the consequences of his words and actions and would pull him in when he went a little crazy. Frankly, she was the reason Father was so successful and now that she's gone, his business has been going down. I think he sees me as his last hope at a nice lifestyle."

The young blonde looked miserable as she clasped her hands together and squeezed. Natsu reached a hand out and tilted her chin up so he could see her face. Lucy looked a bit surprised and also very sad and disappointed. "I was pretty pissed when he finished his little spiel. In fact, I really wanted to punch his lights out. But I did some thinking of my own and I realized something. I don't need his permission to see you. I mean, we've been spending the last few weeks together and he hasn't been able to do anything about it. I do what I want and what I want is to spend time with you. So don't let him worry you alright Lucy?" Natsu comforted her with his words.

Lucy's eyes watered and she smiled at him. "Thank you Natsu. That means a lot. But wait, how are you going to have me come to Magnolia? Father won't give me permission." Lucy asked.

Natsu smirked at her. "Didn't I tell you that I have people who owe me favors? You'll come to Magnolia, don't worry Luce!" he assured her. That was the end of that conversation. Lucy trusted Natsu and who wouldn't? With the smirk he was wearing, there was no way he didn't have a plan up his sleeve.

…

Their blissful summer passed quicker than either of them would have liked. Lucy found herself dressing in a nicer frock and making sure her hair looked nice so that she could send Natsu off with a smile. However, smiling would be hard for her as she did not want Natsu to leave. While she trusted that Natsu would send for her, she didn't know how soon that would be. After all, throughout the summer, Natsu had been receiving letters whose contents he was unwilling to share with Lucy. Lucy had asked that he tell her once but he got so stressed and kept telling her that he didn't want her worried and was trying to protect her that she gave up if only to calm him down. Since then, whenever he got a letter, he shot her a guilty look before retreating to another room to read it.

Natsu was standing on the platform with his luggage on his right and a footman waiting to load it on the train when it arrived. He looked deep in thought when Lucy reached him with Annalise in tow. The mayor was there as well and practically bursting with pride that his daughter was seeing off the young Lord of Magnolia. "Is the fall nice in Magnolia?" Annalise asked.

The question startled Natsu out of his thoughts and he put a smile on his face as he answered, "It is. There are lovely trees whose leaves change color and the people hold a festival to celebrate the harvest. It is great fun. If you ever get a chance, you should come and enjoy it."

Annalise turned pink under the invitation but didn't say anything more. She was a shy girl and had trouble making conversation sometimes. Lucy, too, was having trouble coming up with things to say. The train pulled up much too soon for her liking and to her utter dismay, she found tears warming the backs of her eyes.

Natsu turned and looked at the train before turning back to the two girls standing with him. He bowed slightly to Annalise who dipped into a curtsey before wishing him well and returning to stand by her father's side. She seemed to know that Natsu would want a bit of privacy when bidding Lucy farewell. For his part, Natsu wrapped Lucy in a hug. "I'll send for you. I promise. It may not come for a bit of time while I get everything settled but I will see you again before the end of the year." He whispered into her ear.

Lucy nodded against him. "I'll wait for you then Natsu. Please be safe. I know you won't tell me what you read in those letters of yours but I get the feeling something is stirring that might bode ill for you. Please don't do anything too reckless Natsu." Lucy entreated softly, the tears now threatening to fall.

Natsu squeezed her closer and nodded. "I will endeavor not to be too reckless then." With that, he released her and made his way onto the train. It began to move soon after that and Lucy waved until the last car was out of sight.

….

Natsu sighed as he walked back into his stately home in central Magnolia. He'd received greetings from the townspeople who were out and about that evening and was glad to see that his summer away hadn't soured their opinion of him. Sadly, he already missed Lucy. She had matured into a beautiful lady and while there was a certain air of sadness around her, much of the kind girl she had been when she was young was still there. They had spent a wonderful summer together and Natsu wished that she could have come back with him right away.

The staff at the Dragneel residence greeted their master with enthusiastic greetings. Natsu treated his servants more as friends than as those of a lower station. He did not like the idea of class or rank when it came to how others were treated. If someone was a friend, Natsu believed they all deserved the same treatment, regardless of their position in society. So, Natsu greeted his staff with the same exuberance they displayed for him. At the end of the line, a small old man stepped forward and joined Natsu as he walked into his study.

"I hope you enjoyed your summer brat. You have missed quite a bit while you were off messing around in the country." Makarov Dreyer, the right hand to Igneel Dragneel and Natsu's most trusted advisor was looking at the lord of the house with a small frown present in his features.

"I had a wonderful summer Gramps. And you kept me very well informed of developments here. I will admit that they do trouble me and I can't help but feel like something big is coming that we cannot even see," Natsu replied.

Makarov nodded solemnly. "It is beginning to affect the people in Magnolia. They can sense that this coming Season will be one to remember. Speaking of, you know your job for this Season right Natsu?"

For the first time in their conversation, Natsu smiled brightly. He leaned forward in his chair and rested his forearms on his desk. "I'm already courting someone Gramps!" His announcement was met with a stunned look on his advisor's face along with a whoosh as all the air left Makarov's lungs. "She's great and even though I don't know if I love her yet, she agreed to give me a year to figure it all out. Oh and she has to fall for me too or else we won't get married but I think if I fall for her I can get her to fall for me!" The young lord rambled on about Lucy and her qualities, good and weird alike before Makarov finally interrupted.

"Lucy? You mean that girl you always played with when your father took you to that tiny little hamlet?" At Natsu's enthusiastic nod, Makarov massaged his temples, "Natsu she doesn't have any kind of rank. I know that you don't look at that kind of thing when you make friends but your people do. What will you do if they don't accept her?"

"They'll love her! She is friends with everyone in her hometown. If they don't want to accept her they can move to a different town. I won't be told how to live my life or who to marry. Besides, you know all the decent noble girls are spoken for in this kingdom. The rest of them are horrible and most of them don't like me anyway." Natsu's bold statement was met with a deadpan look from Makarov.

"Maybe their opinion would be different if you would stop playing pranks on them. Moving on, why haven't you brought her back with you? I know you are no good at writing letters so there is no way to get her to fall for you without Lucy being here."

"Well…" Natsu rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"What have you gone and done now boy?!" Makarov questioned sternly.

"Her father doesn't exactly approve. He wants to use her as a pawn to get more power and I won't let that happen. You know by now Gramps that I don't play those games with people. So he wouldn't let her come if I asked. I have a plan though! She is going to be here for the Season and I promise you can meet her when she gets here."

Makarov sighed. He was not going to get anywhere with Natsu on this subject. Once the young lord put his mind to something, he was not easily dissuaded. "I will leave the business of finding a wife to you then Natsu. Only be careful, there are hearts at stake here boy. Now, as I explained in my letters, it appears that Jose Porla is making some power plays. They are small now but I fear that if he gets bold he may try something foolish."

Natsu grew serious once more. "You're right. Right now it seems that what he is doing is harmless though. He has only started increasing sanctions in Phantom; you said he was also raising taxes which at a time of such prosperity is a bit strange but not unheard of."

The old advisor nodded, eyes closed and hand folded. "While you are right, it is not unheard of, it is rather sudden. This can only mean that something has changed in Phantom or with Lord Porla. We will need to keep an eye on him. I knew him when we were younger and he has always had his eyes on the crown."

"I'll arrange a meeting with Mira then. I know you've kept Laxus informed and he would not be able to keep things from his wife. But it would be good to let her know that I am back and to talk over our strategy for the Season. After all, Her Highness is counting on Fairy Tail to protect the crown right Master?" Natsu had a small smile on his face as he addressed Makarov by his alias.

Makarov opened his eyes and shared the smile with his young protégé. "Precisely Natsu. I will leave you to it then. There are other matters I must attend to. I am glad you had a nice summer Natsu but I am equally glad you've returned."

…

Meeting with Mirajane and Laxus Dreyar served two purposes for Natsu. Laxus got him all caught up with the Phantom situation and with the various plans that were in motion for the season. They had a lengthy talk about strategy and only when both men were satisfied did Mira get a chance to change the topic, an event Natsu was counting on.

"Now that all the boring strategy talk is out of the way… Natsu! Tell me about your summer, I want to hear everything!" Mirajane was a bit of a gossip and a matchmaker. Natsu was one of her few single friends and so she was constantly trying to set him up with other ladies. He knew she was the one to come to with his own matchmaking plan.

"I don't care about your summer so I'm leaving. I'll be back for dinner, Mira." Laxus stood and made a quick exit. He was more interested in business talk and quickly grew bored of small talk. Mira waved at him to signal that she'd heard him and kept her attention on Natsu.

Natsu started by explaining his background with the town, leaving Lucy out for the moment, and gave her a description of his home there. After promising to let her visit next time he was there, he moved on to Lucy. "Mira… there's one more thing about my summer that I think you should know." Natsu confessed.

"Well don't hold back Natsu! Tell me! Oh my goodness you're blushing! This is about a girl is it not?!" Mira had to have some kind of sense for these kinds of things, a sixth sense if you will.

"You see, there's this girl named Lucy. She and I used to play together when we were little and I managed to reconnect with her this summer. She has changed but not too much Mira. She is beautiful, kind, generous… I really like her. I… I asked if she would let me court her and she agreed." Natsu made sure he was hesitant to share this information so that Mira would be even more willing to help him.

Mirajane, for her part, let out a loud squeal at this information. "Oh Natsu! I'm so happy for you! Why wouldn't you bring her here to meet me?! I want to meet the girl that has managed to catch your attention!"

Natsu schooled his features into his famous pout. "That's the problem Mira. Her father won't approve of us unless I can show him how much power I have, what I can do for him. He treats his own daughter like a pawn in some game." Here, Natsu began to frown, genuine frustration coming through. "I wanted to bring her back with me so that she could escape his rules. Also, she was presented to the Court but she hasn't ever experienced a Season and… well I wanted to give that to her but it looks like I won't be able to."

Mira moved to sit beside the pink haired lord. Gently, she rubbed his back and said, "Don't you worry Natsu. I know how you feel when people pull rank. However, I will not stand for the poor girl never getting to experience the Season. She sounds wonderful and if she has captured your heart so, you must not be separated! Oh, this is rather exciting! Forbidden love!" Mira was distracted by daydreams of white horses and pink haired princes with a beautiful princesses locked in towers before she was brought back to Earthland with Natsu's next words.

"I want her here too Mira. I bet she would love you. But I cannot gain her father's approval, how am I going to bring her here?"

"Don't you worry about that! You leave everything to Big Sister Mirajane. I will bring her here for the Season and you two will fall in love, get married and have thirty babies!" Mirajane declared with fire in her eyes. The Demon Matchmaker had been activated. She was so distracted, she didn't see Natsu's triumphant smirk as he enveloped her in a quick hug.

"Thanks Mira! I can't wait for you to meet her!"

 **Hello all! I think by now you all don't expect me to have updates coming on short notice so I won't even tell you what kept me this time. I finally have a place to be after graduation! YAY! If you are a senior, be it high school or college, you know how nice that feels. Or maybe you don't, in which case, I hope you find your future soon! Now, on to my reviewer shout outs!**

 **JellyBeanBubbles: I'm so glad you thought it was promising! You're the only one who reviewed so right now, I am writing this story for you! I hope you liked this chapter too! It might be a bit confusing but as we progress hopefully things will start to clear up.**

 **Leave a review and let me know what you think!**

 **CC22**


	3. Chapter 3

3

As it turned out, meeting Lucy was going to be a bit more difficult than Mira thought. She sent letter after letter to the Heartfilia residence, after acquiring the address from Natsu of course, but each time her efforts were rebutted. It seemed that her adversary, for that was now how she thought of Jude Heartfilia, was a tough opponent.

Mira was quietly enjoying tea in her private parlor whilst stewing over the latest rejection of her offer to sponsor Lucy for a Season. It seemed Jude was privy to every move she made, a fact which both impressed and annoyed her. Time was running out. The Season was only a month away and Mira knew that if she couldn't bring Lucy up soon, she would miss her opportunity.

"Letter for you Mistress Dreyar." A smartly dressed manservant said softly outside the door. The servants knew better than to disturb their Mistress when she was in her private parlor. Nobody was allowed in that room without invitation and only Mirajane's personal maid was allowed to clean it.

Mira looked up from her tea and said, "Come in." She took the proffered letters, there were two, and opened the first. She sighed as she read yet another rejection from Jude Heartfilia. "Blast that man! At this rate I may as well just kidnap the girl!" The thought was beginning to sound tempting, though she knew her husband would be less than pleased. Mirajane may be handmaiden to the Princess but even she was subject to the laws of Fiore.

The second letter also hailed from the Heartfilia Manor, a fact which surprised Mira. The address was written out in script as well, indicating its author was female. Mirajane tore into that letter, eager to read its contents. What she saw made her eyes widen, then caused a smile to spread across her face.

 _Lady Mirajane Dreyar,_

 _As I am sure you may have guessed, my name is Lucy Heartfilia. I find I must apologize for the behavior of my own Father. I was unaware that he was screening my mail and declining all of your generous invitations. I must confess to you, though you are a stranger, that I am unsatisfied with my life in Acalypha. My father grows ever more paranoid over small things like my taking an afternoon walk. I do not know what it is that could cause him to be so afraid for my wellbeing but to be frank I have lost all patience with it. I am writing to inform you that I wish I could have accepted your offer of sponsorship. However, my father just cannot abide being indebted to someone and so will not allow me to accept. However, he did not instruct me on whether or not I shall be able to come to the Season. And so, it pleases me to accept your invitation to the Season Opening party you shall be holding at your residence in Magnolia. I have a friend I'm sure you are acquainted with whom I would like to catch up with. I will be taking the first train to Magnolia, sadly without my father's knowledge. Knowing that this will anger him and possibly cause trouble for any involved, I shall not jeopardize you or your family by imposing upon your hospitality. Instead, I shall find suitable lodging in the city proper and have my friend escort me to your soirée. Thank you sincerely for the invitation. I look forward to finally meeting you._

 _Yours,_

 _Lucy Heartfilia_

Mirajane was impressed by the courage it must have taken for Lucy to write the letter. She was also a bit concerned about her father's behavior. From Lucy's letter, it did not sound at all normal. However, she put that concern aside for the moment to focus on the more pressing matter. "Jerome! I would like a copy of the train schedule for this week!" she called, knowing the manservant was just outside the door.

"Right away Mistress," Jerome acknowledged. Mira did not have to wait long before he brought her the morning's paper which held the schedule. She thanked him for his assistance and skimmed over it. The first train arriving from Acalypha would be in Magnolia the following morning. Mirajane stood up and rang for some servants to clear her tea. She set a brisk pace as she made her way to the office of the housekeeper.

"Louise, my schedule has changed for tomorrow. I will be in need of the carriage at 8am sharp to take me to the train station. And have a guest room prepared, I will be bringing back a guest. She shall stay for the Season and I shall sponsor her so have at least one maid ready to serve as her lady in waiting. Also, be sure to tell the chef that we will have an extra guest at all the meals, including our opening party." Mira instructed. Louise, ever patient and used to the Lady of the House's sudden changes of plan, merely nodded and set to work adapting to the change. She had worked in Laxus' household long enough to be aware of his wife's propensity for matchmaking. Rumor had it that her longtime friend Lord Dragneel was courting a girl so it was no surprise that her Mistress would get involved.

…..

Mirajane stood a few feet away from the train platform awaiting the arrival of the 8:30am train from Acalypha. Just behind her stood Jerome, her loyal manservant. He was waiting for his Mistress' guest to arrive so he could collect her things and load them onto their waiting carriage. Laxus had not batted an eye when his wife announced that they would have a guest arriving the following morning by train. At this point in his relationship, he knew not to interfere with Mira's plotting as long as it remained relatively innocent.

Laxus provided the funds for Mira's games and passively let her have her fun. He did not try to control her, though he once attempted such a feat and was met with such resistance that he found it exhausting to fight with her. So he became indifferent to her games. Of course, he did still love his wife though he may not often say it and never in front of others. She loved him too and was grateful to him for allowing her to have fun as it was not often something men would do for their wives. Their relationship was one built on mutual respect and trust that each would not do anything to intentionally harm the other.

Mirajane was pulled from her private musings by the whistle of the incoming train. "Look sharp now Jerome. The lady we are looking for has blonde hair and dark brown eyes. She is just a bit shorter than I am and Natsu says she usually wears her hair down or half up," she cautioned her servant. Mira's eyes scanned over each person as they exited the train.

It was beginning to look a bit hopeless when Jerome leaned down and said, "There Mistress. Stepping out of the third car, is that your guest?"

Mira surveyed the girl. She was wearing a plain, red traveling dress and had some of her hair pulled into a tail above her right ear. In her hands she clutched the handles of a traveling trunk and she was slow to disembark the train as she surveyed her new surroundings. "I do believe it is Jerome. Well spotted!" Mira began to approach the girl. "Lucy! Lucy Heartfilia!" she called cheerily.

The girl, Lucy, turned with surprise in her eyes at hearing her name. "I'm so sorry, have we met before?" she inquired shyly.

"Not formally," Mirajane responded. "My name is Mirajane Strauss-Dreyar. I've been writing to you, or rather, your father these past few months. I was delighted to hear that you would be attending my little party next month. I know you mentioned finding other lodgings but I simply must insist that you stay with me as my guest. Jerome, help Miss Lucy with her bags please."

"Oh Lady Dreyer that's quite alright! I brought money enough to pay for lodgings and an appropriate dress for your party as I know none of mine measure up. I do not wish to inconvenience you!" Lucy exclaimed in a small amount of shock that this woman had taken it upon herself to meet Lucy at the station, especially since Lucy had not indicated which train she would be on.

"Nonsense! I would love to have you! My husband is often out doing business so I get rather lonely in that big house by myself. I do not yet have any children to dote upon you see. It will be so nice having a companion! And as for the dress, we must begin shopping for that soon! Perhaps tomorrow. Oh! And we must buy you more than one, you'll be staying for the Season. Well you may as well dear, now that you've left your father and all!" As she spoke, Mirajane guided the bewildered girl towards her waiting carriage while Jerome loaded her bag and prepared to hand them up into the vehicle.

"W-Well, if you're sure I won't be a bother to you and Lord Dreyar…" Lucy began to cave, as anyone would when faced with the determination of the Lady Dreyar.

"Then it is settled! Come now let's get you home. You must be tired from your journey. A little tea and quiet ought to refresh you." Mira allowed Lucy to board the carriage first, following and arranging her skirts as the door closed and the carriage began the small trip back to her estate.

….

Lucy and Mirajane were quick to bond in Mirajane's private parlor. Mira loved the girl from the small hamlet and already though of her as another sister. "I cannot wait for you to meet everyone!" Mira confided in Lucy as they walked an avenue towards the dressmakers. "I myself have a sister and a brother who I'm sure will adore you. You will make many friends here, I'm sure of it."

"You really think so Mira? I am a plain girl from a town hardly anyone has heard of. I am afraid I will not fit into this grand world of balls and nobility." Lucy confessed her fears as she admired the storefronts they passed.

"Do not worry Lucy. I have thrown my weight behind you and, I don't mean to be arrogant, but that means a lot to Society. You see, I am first handmaid to Princess Hisui. In fact, after my party, I shall have to return to the castle for the Season. You shall accompany me as my guest of course, I will not abandon you. It will also be a good experience for you." Mira watched Lucy's reaction carefully.

Lucy was taken aback by Mira's announcement. "Handmaid to the Princess?! I am afraid you have too much confidence in me to trust me in the castle! I would not know what to say, how to act, or who to associate with!"

Mira placed a hand on her arm gently, "I understand your fears Lucy but believe me, they are unfounded. You will be very popular in court and I am sure you will get along well with the other ladies in the court."

No more was said on the subject and instead, conversation turned to what kinds of dresses Lucy ought to order. She and Mira spent their morning at the dressmakers and then stopped by a small café for lunch. Lucy hadn't noticed that she was already gaining attention from passersby. Mira could tell that rumors would be quick to circulate and her time alone with Lucy would be very short. Knowing the young woman's fears and seeing how sweet she was, Mira wished to protect her from the dark underbelly of the world they were living in. This was, of course, impossible but for as long as she could, Mira would delay the inevitable.

…

Lucy had been staying with Mirajane and Laxus for a week before Mira received a visit. Lucy did not hear the visitor arrive as she was absorbed in a book while she sat in the small parlor that served everyday purposes. Jerome showed the man into the room and bowed before saying, "I will let the Mistress know you are here. It should be a moment."

"Thanks Jerome! Say hello to Louise for me too," the man said. His voice shook Lucy from her book and she looked up.

Surprise and joy crossed her features as she recognized the man before her who was only now turning to face her. "Natsu!" she cried, standing and placing her book down.

Natsu completed his turn quickly and his features bloomed into his trademark grin. "Luce! You're here!" He moved to her and was going to embrace her but stopped, wondering if it was really the thing to do in the Demon Matchmaker's home.

Lucy, however, had no qualms about wrapping her arms around him and saying, "I've missed you." She released him and stepped back, surveying his features. "You look well, a little tired, but well."

Natsu chuckled at her comment. "I missed you too Lucy. How are things? Mira told me that your father was preventing you from getting her invitations so I was a little worried that I would have to resort to drastic measures to keep my promise."

Lucy sighed and sat back in her chair. Natsu followed and took a seat on the chair next to her. "Father became strange after you left. He always wanted to know where I was going and who I would be with. I even got a curfew, which I have never had. I'm not sure what he thought was going to happen, seeing as we live in the smallest town in the kingdom! So when I found out that Mira was trying to contact me, I stole her latest letter and took matters into my own hands. I came here without Father's permission. I did leave him a note but I did not ask permission I knew I was not going to receive."

Natsu frowned, a bit of concern marring his features for a moment. "That is not something I expected. Frankly, with Mira's rank, I thought your father would jump at the chance to send you here. But it is not any matter since you are here now. I'm guessing you'll be attending Mira's party at the end of the month then?"

Lucy smiled and pretended to consider it. "Well now, I do not know. I do not have a proper escort, and it would be rather awkward for Laxus to have two ladies on his arm at his own party."

Natsu was confused for a moment. A man having two ladies on his arm was not unheard of. Especially when it was a young maid who was at her first party and was unmarried. Then he realized what she intended and his cheeks gained a hue close to that of his hair. "W-Well we can't have that. I would be happy to serve as your escort to the party. That is, if you are fine with that."

Lucy's smile broadened. "I accept your offer Lord Dragneel." She giggled after that exchange and her eyes lit up with mirth.

Natsu was glad to see her smiling. He was about to ask how she was getting along with Mira when the Lady of the house herself came into the room. "Natsu! I did not know you were coming or I would have hidden Lucy away. Now you shall hoard her all to yourself and I shall be left lonely once again." Natsu blushed at her words and fumbled for words, making both ladies giggle at this reaction.

"I could never neglect someone who has been kind enough to take me in and mentor me in the ways of polite society." Lucy attempted to reassure Mira through her giggles. Mira waved her off, knowing that it was useless. When Natsu wanted something, he always got it. After some reflection, she had discovered his use of her to bring his would be lover up to the city and she was sure that during this Season, he would do everything he could to gain her favor and to provide her with a rank so that his citizens would be more amenable to his marriage.

"Setting that aside, did you come to see me or Laxus? I'm afraid if it's the latter, Laxus is out doing some kind of business. You are welcome to stay for dinner and wait for his return if you like." Mira sat on the sofa across from the couple and rang for some tea to be brought.

"Actually I came to see you Mira. I was going to ask if there was anything you thought I could do that would help you bring Lucy here but it appears I didn't need to worry," Natsu said with a grin. "I hope you don't mind that I'll be escorting her to the party."

Mira grinned at him. "Of course I don't mind. I'm sure Laxus will be relieved. He doesn't like these gatherings but he did not want Lucy to be harassed as this is her first big social gathering. Now that you are protecting her, he will be able to leave the party early as he always does." Mira noticed Lucy wring her hands and soothed her by saying, "Don't worry Lucy. Laxus is just a shy man who doesn't like social gatherings. But if there is one thing he likes less it is innocents being harassed so it would not have bothered him to attend the party if only to safeguard you."

Natsu did not visit long, only caught up with Mira and Lucy and at times quietly observed the interactions between the two ladies. He was glad that Mira seemed to take quite a liking to his childhood summer friend. Lucy also seemed comfortable here but occasionally when there was a quiet moment, he could see a sadness or worry flash in her eyes. This concerned him but there was not much he could do now. It was clear that Lucy did not want to share what was bothering her and he would have to wait until a private moment before he tried to pull it out of her.

In the meantime, there was a party approaching and the town was abuzz with the news that a new and pretty lady from a small town would be joining the Season for the first time. And back in that small hamlet, a father mourned for the independence of his daughter that he feared would bring to light secrets he longed to keep buried.

 **Hey! Long time no write! I am sorry for that but at this point I'm sure you've come to expect it of me. I had some awful writers block. I know where I want this story to go but I wasn't sure how I was going to get there. I did not want to be too cliche or unoriginal because if you stick around for my story updates you deserve quality work that I'm happy with. This story might start a bit slowly and you may be confused about some things in some chapters but please don't worry. By the end, everything will be worked out and your questions will be answered.**

 **As for why updates are (and will continue to be) slow, I am now officially an independent adult. This past May, I graduated from college and I moved out of my parents home over the summer. This fall, I started graduate school where I will be working towards a PhD. As you might imagine, this is a very complex and busy time for me. School will always come first for me so I may not have energy or time to write. I promise I will do my best and I would appreciate it if you would let me know what you think of my work. Thank you so much to everyone who has continued to stand by me and read my little stories. And to any new people, I welcome you and hope you can be very patient with me. Please look forward to the next chapter!**

 **CC22**


	4. Chapter 4

4

Lucy sat in front of the vanity trying to force her hands to cease their trembling. She had been excited for her first party in Society until this, the very night. Now, she found herself questioning all of her actions leading up to this point in her life. The maid that Mirajane had assigned to her stood behind her and was in the process of teasing her hair into a delicate up do. "You shall be the belle of the ball milady." She said.

"That is what I fear. I have no higher rank than you, Anne. I feel strange when you call me 'milady' so how shall I feel when I am among all the lords and ladies of note in the kingdom?" Lucy despaired.

Anne smiled reassuringly at her in the mirror. "I believe you shall enchant them as you have the local city folk. Everyone is abuzz at your arrival and as you have gotten to know some of the shop owners there is word that you are one of them, lucky enough to rise to the status of Lady. They feel that if you can do it, then they can truly believe what Lord Natsu tells us all the time. We are no worse, and no better, than the gentry."

Lucy took some courage from the words of the maid. She was able to stop her hands from shaking and even to look forward to the evening ahead. That was, until Mirajane walked through the door. She looked… well the only word for it was perfect. And suddenly, Lucy felt insufficient again.

Mirajane took one look at Lucy and frowned. "None of that Lucy. I won't have you thinking any bad thoughts about yourself or this night. You look absolutely beautiful and you will fit right in with my friends. I cannot tell you that everyone will like you; there will be some who hate you only because of me or Natsu. But you have no need to worry; you will make some friends tonight who will stand by you no matter what."

Lucy felt her eyes fill and blinked her tears away. "How can you be so sure Mira? I am not usually like this but I find myself wondering what I have done," Lucy confessed her fear to her benefactor.

"Natsu is not the type of man who can stand anyone fake. He cannot abide by someone who does not share his values of friendship and care for those around him. With this in mind, remember that you are someone whom he not only calls friend, but whose opinion he seeks and greatly values. It is for this reason that I even reached out and invited you to come here." It was this that finally broke through to Lucy. Mirajane nodded once when she saw that Lucy was alright. "Good. Now that that's settled, Natsu has just arrived and is waiting downstairs to collect you. I, for one, cannot wait to see the look on his face when he sees you!"

As it turned out, Natsu was Lucy's saving grace that evening. Once he had gotten over seeing Lucy dressed up as a lady, a fact which he found for some reason made her a bit more intimidating, he introduced her to all of his friends. And he had many friends. Lucy found that those Natsu kept company with were a wide variety of interesting and admittedly strange people. For instance, the one he called his rival, a Lord Gray, was constantly in danger of exposing himself. This made Lucy uncomfortable at first but when she finally found herself in conversation with the man, she found that she enjoyed Gray's sardonic sense of humor.

Of all of Natsu's friends, however, Lucy became closest to Levy McGarden. The pair loved to read and each had similar tastes in books. In fact, the two had to be dragged away from their heated conversation about some novel or other by the rest of the group if anyone was to have either girls' attention! All in all, Mirajane felt the night was a success for Lucy. She was accepted by everyone in their group of friends and, though the girl didn't know it, Laxus and the other men made it clear to all others present that Lucy was not to be trifled with.

Natsu helped with this notion by clearly laying claim to her attention, and affections. He did not flirt with her, like several young lords attempted. Instead, he danced with her when she wanted and otherwise kept her entertained. He did not coddle her as many ladies in high society were used to experiencing. In fact, he let Lucy decide how her night was going to go and Mira could see that the girl was grateful for it. Natsu had risen in her esteem that night.

In the carriage after the party, Mira asked an exhausted Lucy about her night. She was rather stunned by the girl's answer. "I enjoyed the party Mirajane. I just wish everyone would have stopped staring at me as if I were a sideshow creature! I could hear the whispers, about my name, my rank or lack thereof. Honestly, I feel more at home in town talking with the shopkeepers and regular citizens. They are more my speed. I'm not sure what to tell Natsu. I know that he needs to marry but… I don't know if I could handle being the wife of a Lord."

Mirajane just stared at the girl across from her in shock. Not once throughout the entirety of the night had Lucy even hinted that she was not having a good time. "You looked like you were getting on fine with Gray, Levy and Erza." She pointed out.

"Yes I suppose I was. They are different from the rest though. They just don't seem to care about ranking or social order. I mean, Gray was making jokes about most of the people in the room. And Natsu, many of his jokes were about Natsu." Lucy's mouth curved into a thin smile at the memory.

"Maybe you should give it time. I'm sure the talk will die down soon. You are just a new event in their rather monotonous social schedule and once they are used to your appearance they will stop whispering."

Mirajane's suggestion was met with silence from the blond and she decided it was best to drop the subject. The remainder of the drive was quiet and uneventful. When they arrived back at Mirajane's home, Lucy went straight to bed without even pausing to wish anyone a good night.

…

Early the following morning, Lucy sent a small note by pageboy and borrowed the carriage. She had the coachman drop her off in town and then sent him home. She was confident that a ride back to Lady Mira's home would be provided when she needed it. The town was just starting to awaken and some of the merchants Lucy visited more often waved as they bustled about their shops getting ready for the new day.

As Lucy walked, her mind drifted back to the previous evening's festivities. She heard many comments about the common girl at the party and wondering why the Lady Mira would bother to sponsor her. There were numerous comments about her age, looks, fitness to be among them, as well as other trivial matters. Lucy knew in her heart that these things should not bother her but for some reason, she found her usual confidence flagging.

Suddenly, Lucy heard her name being called and, looking towards the sound, she found herself looking into the eyes of Mrs. Spetto. She ran a small bookstore and had been trying to get the distracted girl's attention but had no luck until she grew closer. "Good day Mrs. Spetto. How are you doing this morning?"

"I am well Lady Lucy! But you are looking rather down this morning. Did something happen at the party?"

"The party was quite… interesting. I cannot help but to feel more at home here talking with you than among the company of most of those at the party." Lucy felt a bit better getting that off of her chest but with the small bit of relief came the same bitterness of the memory of the gossip.

"Surely it could not have been all bad?" Mrs. Spetto questioned. Lucy was a peculiar girl in the older woman's opinion. Spetto herself had lost her daughter years ago in a tragic carriage accident. In some ways, Lucy reminded the old woman of her lost daughter.

"No, not all bad. I met many of Natsu's friends and, while they are strange people, I found myself comfortable with them. They were the only people who seemed to accept me for who I am and not question all of my qualifications." Lucy smiled a bit when she reflected on her interactions with Natsu's special group of friends.

Lucy and Mrs. Spetto talked for a while longer before the old woman had to open her shop for the day. Lucy browsed the shop for a while before choosing a novel that she had not read before. Paying Mrs. Spetto, Lucy left the bookstore and headed to her intended destination.

Walking among the sakura trees, Lucy looked for a suitable place to settle and read her new novel. As it was approaching winter, there were no blossoms on the trees but Natsu had said that these trees were beautiful in the spring. He promised to show them to her the following year. Lucy finally found a secluded corner of the small sakura park and settled in to read her book, and wait.

Lucy was so absorbed in the twists and turns of her story that she did not hear him approaching until he arrived before her. "Well this sight brings back memories. You, stuck in a book, and me calling your name without getting anywhere."

Lucy jumped a bit at the sound of his voice but relaxed as she looked up into his smirking face. "Good morning Natsu. I'm really glad you could come out and talk to me." Lucy quickly grew serious and that served to sober Natsu up.

"Yeah what was with that mysterious note this morning? Did something happen?" The note Natsu had received when he woke that morning was short and gave no evidence as to its context. Just 'we need to discuss our arrangement' nothing more.

"Natsu… I know you must have heard what wagging tongues were saying last night." Lucy was afraid of the results of the conversation and she knew that that in and of itself was very telling.

"Yeah I heard 'em. But Lucy you shouldn't listen to those things. I mean, it's not like you have to spend more time with those people. My friends liked you just fine!" Natsu could see that his words were not helping her to feel better and he wondered what was really going on.

"I am not really concerned with what they were saying so much as what it could mean for you. Natsu… at this point I'm sure all of society knows that you are pursuing me. I do not want to ruin your reputation or make things harder for you. Maybe… maybe it would be best if I just went back home." Lucy looked down at her hands clasped over the book in her lap. She did not want to see the look on her best friend's face at her words as she was sure he would be disappointed. She was shocked, however, to hear him laughing.

"Lucy I don't care about anything anyone says. Who I choose to spend my time with is my own business and if I want to court you then that's what I'm going to do! And if it makes you that uncomfortable to hear them talk, well I'd be happy to never go to another one of those parties ever again! Didn't I tell you that I hate those parties? They are always full of people like that and mostly the only time I even go to those parties is when my friends are going to be there." Natsu moved and sat down next to Lucy.

It was silent for a few minutes as Lucy absorbed and considered Natsu's words. After a minute or two, Lucy reached over and slipped her small hand into Natsu's larger, rough one. Natsu curled his fingers around hers and smiled when he felt her head lean against his shoulder. The gestures told him everything he needed to know.

 **And that is where I leave it for now! I am FINALLY on spring break. In graduate school, that means no classes and no homework but I still have lab work to do. The lab is my job, it's what they are paying me for. However, without having to do homework or study for stressful exams, I can write more! I will be trying to update a few times this week so please look forward to that!**

 **Let me know what you think of the story so far. It has only just begun, I have plans for these lovely characters...**

 **CC22**


	5. Chapter 5

5

From that point forward, things seemed to accelerate for Natsu and Lucy. It was rare that a day went by when Natsu was not visiting Lucy and taking her out to have some fun in Magnolia. He still kept up with his work as the Lord of Magnolia but Lucy was even getting more involved in that as well. She turned out to have very good ideas about how to improve the economy of Magnolia and her information was never inaccurate. They became a team of sorts and though they were not often found at the parties, nobody seemed to mind.

With this new closeness came a new awareness for Lucy. Awareness of her growing feelings for Natsu, and awareness of the secrets he was still keeping. She was allowed to see many of the documents that crossed his desk but not all of them. She caught Natsu and Makarov whispering about something or other when they thought she was absorbed in her own task. Sometimes, she would question Natsu about what he was discussing with Makarov but he would always get a pained look on his face before asking that she not press further. Finally, Lucy had had enough of the dodging of questions.

The new couple had their first big fight. Lucy was infuriated and hurt that Natsu did not trust her enough to let her all the way into his life. Natsu was upset that this was making her angry but he also could not bring himself to reveal the other world to which he belonged. A small argument escalated to shouting until finally, Lucy ended all of it. "I can't be with a man who won't give me all of himself. Goodbye Natsu."

It was as though a shadow fell over all of Magnolia. No longer were the townsfolk graced with Lucy's smiling face and cheerful greetings. Lucy had agreed to spend the rest of the Season with Mirajane and her husband so she did not leave as she wished to but she did not venture too far from the Strauss manor. She consistently refused to entertain Natsu with an audience and Mirajane was beginning to grow very worried for her two friends.

Natsu was always depressed and while he kept up with his work, the quality of his results was diminishing rapidly. Makarov was not able to get through to the boy mostly because Natsu held him partially responsible for his fight with Lucy. One of the things that was slipping through the cracks was the situation over in Phantom. Nobody noticed when those associated with Phantom started paying close attention to Lucy. Nobody seemed to notice as Lucy began to associate more with Sue and Juvia at the parties that she went to rather than any of Natsu's friends.

Well, that is not totally accurate. Gray Fullbuster noticed. For some reason, Lucy had struck something within him that he could not ignore. He heard about her fight with his rival and best friend but was not sure what to do about it. Gray was not the most emotional of men; in fact, he was pretty much one of the least emotional men you could meet. He kept up a cold exterior to protect himself, even among his friends. But as protective as he was of himself, he was even more protective of those he considered friend. And so, at one such party, Gray pulled Lucy into a cove mostly used by lovers to have a talk.

"Lucy have we offended you somehow?" he asked. Never one to beat around the bush, Gray got straight to the point.

Lucy sighed. She knew this would happen eventually. "No… I just don't know what to say to you anymore. I know you are going to take his side because I know that even you are keeping things from me and I do not wish to go through all of this again. Frankly, I wish to spend my time with people who do not hide as much from me."

Gray raised one eyebrow skeptically at her, "So you think that Juvia and Sue are those people? Lucy they are bad news! They aren't what they are telling you they are and you really should be careful."

"And if I were to ask what you mean by that statement Gray? Would you even be able to tell me?" Lucy was beginning to grow frustrated with this conversation.

Gray hesitated in his answer. Finally, he shook his head, "No I would not be able to tell you. Lucy it isn't as if we want to keep secrets from you! Natsu has been trying very hard to get you involved, we are just running into some stubborn bureaucracy problems."

Lucy thought she heard him mutter "and a really scary monster she-devil," but she couldn't be sure; instead, she held up her hand and stopped Gray's speech. "I don't really want to hear it. I don't care what kind of problems you might be having. If Natsu trusted me, he would just tell me what was going on. He has never been one to respect the rules so why start now? There is something else going on so don't try to pacify me."

Lucy left their little alcove, leaving behind a rather distressed Gray. He had tried but Lucy would not listen to him. Gray decided to give her a bit more time; maybe if she had more time to cool down after her fight with Natsu she would be more receptive. He did, however, warn Natsu about Lucy's new friendships. When Natsu learned of why he wasn't seeing Lucy in town as much anymore and why she was attending more of the parties she had said she disliked, he grew agitated.

"What do they want with Lucy?" Natsu was pacing his office. "They don't want to be her friends, that is for certain. Anyone associated with Phantom has a price for their friendship."

Gray shrugged from his place leaning against the wall of Natsu's office. "I'm not sure Natsu. I've been keeping an eye on the situation but… Lucy is really frustrated with us Natsu. She is an intelligent woman and I think she is insulted by the lack of trust we are showing her."

Natsu ran his fingers through his hair quickly in frustration. This only served to make his already messy hair even more unruly. "We haven't gotten anywhere with Erza. I tried talking with the Master about it but he is busy with his own mission which he won't talk to me about. He said he was sorry that he couldn't talk to her yet but that when he gets the chance he will personally make a decision when it comes to telling Lucy about us or not."

"Seriously?! We have to wait for Master to finish one of his missions? They sometimes take years! Lucy is just about fed up with us right now and if she keeps hanging around Juvia and Sue…" Gray was looking slightly worried which was big for the man who didn't reveal much where his emotions were concerned.

At that moment, a knock was heard from the door and Natsu bid the person enter. It turned out the person behind the door was a very pale Romeo. "N-Natsu they have Lucy! And they hurt Levy and Jet and Droy and they're gonna kill her if we don't dissolve the guild and surrender to the cuffs! What are we going to do?! My dad says the guild is our family now that mom is gone! I-I…"

Natsu stiffened at the boy's words while Gray went to calm the boy down. "Calm down Romeo and speak slower. Tell us what happened from the beginning."

….

Lucy woke to a foul smell and a rotten taste in her mouth. Her head pounded and all of her muscles felt stiff. Blinking her eyes to clear them, she groaned softly and took stock of her situation. The last thing she remembered was drinking tea with Juvia and a man she had not yet met… Gajeel was it? Then they kept asking her questions about her family. About her mom and how she died, where Lucy had been living this entire time, where her father kept his records, and they kept mentioning that she had some kind of powers.

Then she started to feel a bit woozy and… Lucy couldn't remember anything past that. It was painfully obvious now, though, that she had been kidnapped. Maybe she was still tired from whatever they had done to sedate her, but Lucy did not feel panic run through her. Instead, she felt resignation and a bit of bitterness. Everything had been going so wrong! She thought that when she came here it would be similar to one of her romance novels. She would be courted by Natsu, maybe fall in love, and then become the Lady of a nice city in the kingdom.

Well, she was courted for a brief period, and if she was honest she knew she was in love with her pink haired childhood friend. But everything was going poorly from there. She knew it was rather petty of her to be this angry at Natsu when it was clearly not his fault that he could not disclose the contents of the documents he worked with and the people he talked to. Lucy knew it was her insecurities getting in the way and she now felt terrible that she had not listened to Gray when he warned her to stay away from Juvia and Sue. She knew that neither Natsu, nor his friends, would ever intentionally lie to her or put her in harm's way.

Lucy did not have much time to dwell on this because at that moment, the door to the room she was being held in, opened and the dark haired man known as Gajeel walked in. He unceremoniously yanked the gag out of her mouth and leered down at her. "Ya know, ya aren't as interesting as the Boss said ya would be."

Lucy did not dignify that with a response. This seemed to bother Gajeel a bit. "Not talkin' ta me are ya? Well ya might wanna talk to the Boss. He don't like it when ya don't answer his questions." With that, Gajeel grabbed Lucy by the hair, causing her to cry out in surprise and pain. Once she was on her feet, Gajeel put some heavy, stone cuffs on her wrists and roughly dragged and shoved her down the hall. Lucy did her best to drag her feet; the fear was slowly catching up to her as she came more awake with the movement and pain.

A door opened at the end of the hall and Lucy was shoved into a large throne room to face Gajeel's mysterious "Boss." It turned out, the boss was a thin, spindly man with a long angular face. He had a creepy grin playing on his lips and the pervy moustache did not help him appear more friendly or attractive. Lucy grimaced as pain blossomed in her shoulder from Gajeel's shove.

"Lucy Heartfilia. How good of you to come! I am sorry about the way my subordinates have treated you. Gajeel, take the cuffs off of our honored guest!" The man's voice was just as oily as his looks and Lucy instantly went on guard. Gajeel did as instructed before stepping back into the shadows where he almost blended in. "There, that's better isn't it? Now Lucy, I have been told that you were less than helpful when Juvia was asking about your family and your powers as the next Head Summoner. Maybe she wasn't clear enough with you. I will give you one chance now my dear. Tell me the extent of your powers and I will let you live. Of course, you will work for me but we can work out that contract later."

"And if I don't tell you?" Lucy questioned boldly. Behind her, there was an almost gleeful laugh and the man in front of her smiled wickedly.

"Let's just say if I can't have you, no one can."

"I'll tell you what I told Juvia. I have no rank here in Society and therefore no power with which to help you in whatever cause you are trying to realize."

"Don't play dumb blond with me Miss Heartfilia. I am talking of your magic, and even if I were talking of your rank, you are not nobody in the Court. You rank just below Princess Hisui and everyone who knows of the Royal Families knows that."

At these words, Lucy rolled her eyes. "Now I know you're all crazy. I've grown up in a tiny hamlet my entire life and my father is just as stationmaster. Magic is a story they tell children to help them imagine new things. Now get to the point, what am I really doing here?"

Apparently this was the wrong thing to say. The oily man's eyes narrowed and regarded her with suspicion before clearing. He began to laugh, deep belly laughs that were not in any way consoling to the young blond standing before him.

"She truly doesn't know anything of her origins! She doesn't know who she is or the power that is so great even I can feel it living in her! Well, we shall just have to coax that power out of you my dear. Gajeel, I'll let you have your fun; I've denied you too long."

"Gihi, as ya wish Master Porla."

This was the last thing Lucy heard before her world turned into one of pain.

 **Yay! Two updates in the span of a week! And I am almost done with the next chapter too so maybe I can put that up soon as well. I must say that I have immensely enjoyed my break from classes. It has been wonderful not having homework or other things to do. But, all good things must come to an end and it is time for me to head back to class. Just a few more months until summer!**

 **So in this chapter, it sort of mimics the Phantom Lord incident but maybe not as severe and definitely not as detailed. I absolutely suck at writing fight scenes so please forgive me in the next chapter! Let me know if you are enjoying this story!**

 **CC22**


	6. Chapter 6

6

"ERZA SCARLET!" The roar was heard throughout the boarding house in which the Captain of the Guard lived. The red head furiously burst out the door brandishing a sword ready to run the enraged pink haired man through for his outburst. It just so happened he was interrupting her as she was enjoying a strawberry dessert.

"I have heard what happened to Levy and to Lucy, Natsu! I understand that you are angry but that is no justification for this outburst! Calm yourself immediately!"

"This is entirely your fault! Now, call your men together and tell everyone we are storming the Phantom Lord guild headquarters right now to get Lucy back." Natsu demanded harshly.

"I will do no such thing!" Erza held up a hand to stem the tide of Natsu's protest before it could begin. "We have no plan and we do not even know why Jose wants her. We need more information. Clearly there is something he wants so he will not harm her until he gets it. I am ordering you, as the Vice Commander of Fairy Tail to stand down."

Erza's eyes widened a fraction before she reaffirmed her grip on her sword. Natsu seemed to be growing and changing before her eyes. His skin became dotted with red scales and his hair stood on end. Flames licked along his fingers and his eyes turned as red as blood. Most amazing of all, flames in the shape of wings sprouted from his back. This was a transformation and a power that Erza had never seen before. Natsu's eyes spoke of death and as he took a step back, away from her, she noticed that his hands had morphed into claws like those of a dragon.

 **"You have gone too far Erza Scarlet. For Natsu to have called on me… Do not worry, I will not hurt you unless you continue to get in my way. Natsu would only like you to know that he has officially burnt off his guild mark and that he will not be a part of a guild that is no longer a family."**

The voice was gravelly and at a lower octave than the normal Natsu she was used to hearing. The sheer power coming off this new creature alone was itself intimidating, never mind how he appeared. The man-lizard hybrid turned to leave when Erza finally found her voice, "Who are you?"

Turning back, he spoke once more, " **I am Etherious. I am the Dragon itself."** And then he was up in the air and streaking off towards his damsel in distress.

Erza stared at the spot where he'd been standing only moments before until she finally shook herself free of her stupor. "I must alert the Master. Natsu might become a danger to the townsfolk," she muttered to herself.

…..

 _This is it. I'm going to die here. I'm going to die without being able to apologize to Natsu, Gray, Levy, and especially Mira for the way I've been acting. This crazy man is going to kill me with his iron club-hands and spiky sword fingers. What a way to go._

At this point, Lucy had stopped screaming. The pain was so blinding she was basically numb to it. She was even numb to the fact that the man currently breaking every bone in her body was somehow transforming parts of his body into various metallic shapes. With all of the pain and torture she had endured today, a little hallucination was just the icing on the worst cake Lucy had ever had. She was on the verge of losing consciousness once again when suddenly the entire building shook.

For the following moments, everything was still and quiet. Even Gajeel had stopped torturing her to look around. Jose has long since left the room, telling Gajeel to "beat the magic out of her but don't let her die." There was a rumbling sound and cracks began to appear along the floor, a sight which alarmed Lucy as she did not think she would survive a fall through the floor. It wasn't as if she could do anything about it though.

Gajeel took a few steps forward to examine what might be causing this. He had only moved about five strides away from her crumpled, prone form when the floor bulged up and exploded in flames. Gajeel whirled around to face this newcomer and grinned smugly at what he saw. "Finally decided to show up, eh Salamander?"

Lucy meanwhile, felt a warmth surround her that was all too familiar. Blinking her eyes open, she noted that she was surrounded in an orb of orange flames but that these flames were not harmful to her in any way. Rather, they seemed to be embracing her, comforting her in her world of pain. When she saw the man… no, beast that stood between herself and her attacker, she cracked a tiny smile. "Natsu…"

His name fell like a sigh from her lips and the hybrid glanced back at her. He had to look away in order not to become lost to his rage. She was almost unrecognizable and, but for her scent, covered sharply by the scent of her blood, he would not have known it was truly her. But it was. "Sorry I took so long Luce. Just let me take care of this piece of shit and we can get out of here okay?"

Lucy didn't reply but she didn't have to. "Don't make it seem like this will be easy. We aren't letting the Summoner go. Not before she does whatever it is the Boss wants her to do." The voice came from Gajeel and it was all Natsu needed to launch himself at the grinning man and land a flame filled punch right across his jaw. Suffice it to say, he knocked the smirk right off Gajeel's face.

From there, a fierce battle began. Few words were exchanged between the two men, only blows. But the blows themselves were like a conversation. Natsu's fury at her kidnapping and injury lent him strength and while Gajeel was well matched, he began to lose ground quickly. It wasn't very long before Natsu stood over the passed-out body of Lucy's tormentor, shoulders heaving with his exertion. Unfortunately, Gajeel's injuries were not a match for the ones he had inflicted upon Lucy; but right now was not about getting even, it was about getting Lucy out of here alive.

Slowly, Natsu turned and made his way back to Lucy. The flames around her slowly died out as he approached until he was kneeling at her side looking hesitant to do or say anything. His eyes had a look of such sadness and guilt that Lucy could feel tears welling up in her own eyes. "I'm so sorry Natsu. I should have just listened and not let my petty insecurities get in the way of trusting you."

Natsu let out a watery laugh and cupped her cheek with a feather light touch that was very uncharacteristic of him. "Trust you to think you did something wrong in this situation. Lucy this is entirely my fault. I should have just told you everything. But how can you still look at me? I know I looked… like a monster out there."

Lucy smiled softly at him, "You're not a monster. You're Natsu. And if you can… summon fire or whatever it is you do then I'll learn to adapt. It doesn't change who you are to me Natsu."

"A-And who is that… exactly? Last time we talked it sounded like we were breaking things off…"

Lucy's cheeks would have turned red if they weren't already purple from all the bruises. "You're…" she hesitated before firming up her resolve. She still wasn't sure if she could recover from all of her injuries but she did not want to have any regrets. "You're the man I've fallen in love with. The man I really hope can see past my stupidity and forgive me for all the things I said last time we spoke. The man I want to spend the rest of my life with… if you'll have me." All of her courage left her with her words and she closed her eyes again.

Natsu felt a few tears run down his face and drop onto the broken tiles between his knees. He wanted to embrace her, to hold her and never let her go again. But right now, he wasn't sure if she could even be moved. Instead, he settled for, "Geez Luce, isn't the man supposed to do the proposing?" He chuckled when her eyes shot open again as it appeared she realized for the first time just how deep her words ran. "You can't take it back!" he warned playfully, just slightly worried that she might.

Her eyes softened as she looked at him, "I won't." They sat in silence for a while, letting the feeling sink in. It was a rather large decision they had just made and Lucy still had many questions about everything that had just happened but first, "Natsu… Everything hurts."

Natsu shook himself out of the happy delirium he had fallen into. For the first time, he took a hard look at her and as he did, he felt the Dragon come over him. Now that he had decided on his life partner, his instincts would become a larger part of his life. Right now, his mate was laying before him injured and while part of the Dragon was calmed due to the threat being eliminated, the other part was terrified at the extent of the damage done to his mate.

Lucy watched as Natsu's eyes went red. His skin seemed to become lined with scales and his hands partially transformed into claws. When he next spoke, his voice was gravelly and a bit deeper than she was used to, but she could still hear Natsu in it. **"I will heal what I can with my fire."**

Warm fire traveled up and down her body like waves on the shore of the ocean. The feeling spread through her body, soothing some of the pain and knitting torn muscles back together. It did not do much for her broken bones but even so, it helped and Lucy sighed in gratitude. All of a sudden, Natsu's head whipped towards the hole where the door used to be and he let out an almost feral growl.

"Now calm down Etherious. You know I mean you and your mate no harm. Erza informed me of all that has happened here and I have taken care of Jose Porla. Let me help you with healing Lucy." The voice belonged to Makarov, Natsu's head of Finance in Magnolia.

 **"Did Erza tell you she still refuses to inform Lucy of what we are? Of what exists in this world?"**

Makarov's eyebrows shot up to his receding hairline. "Even now? I am very sorry Etherious. It appears she took me too seriously when I cautioned her to be careful in these changing times. I'll have a talk with her. In the meantime, you have my permission to fill your mate in on all of the details."

 **"I no longer need your permission old man. I left the guild and I'm not sure I'll ever return. I'm taking Lucy and we're going someplace safe. Porla wanted her for something. Called her a Summoner. I'm only telling you this because you've been good to us; I will be taking Lucy to keep her safe. Do not try to stop me."**

"Summoner? Our intelligence does not yet point to that being Lucy. She does come from the right family but she hasn't shown an ounce of magic potential yet and she certainly should have by now… Natsu if it is true you can't hide her forever. She will attract the spirits with her power and one day she will have to pick a side." Makarov looked concerned by this information.

 **"She is too injured right now to be doing anything but focusing on healing! Do not test me Makarov!"** Natsu was growing very agitated so Lucy stretched her arm out and laid her hand on his knee. The movement brought forth a small whimper that she couldn't stifle and it drew the immediate attention of the two men. **"Don't push yourself, mate."** His voice softened considerably when addressing her.

"I think I should have a say in what happens to me. I don't know about this magic business or what a Summoner is and frankly right now I don't care. I just want to get out of here. I want to go to our place Natsu. Please just take me there. Just… let's go there and get away from everything and…" Lucy began to cry, the confusion and overwhelming nature of her experience hitting her all at once.

Natsu gently gathered her still-broken body up and stood. The flame wings once again sprouted from his body and he turned to the hole in the ceiling that would lead him out of this cursed place. "Six months." The hybrid turned back to the small, tired old man. "Send word in six months about how she is doing and what your decision is. I can't promise I'll agree with you Natsu but I will respect whatever the two of you decide."

With one final nod, Natsu left.

…

Somewhere along in the Natsu's flight, Lucy succumbed to the exhaustion that was finally rushing over her body. The adrenalin rush was over and all she could feel was the soreness of her various bruises and the pain in her various fractured and broken limbs. The darkness was a welcome relief from all of her pain. Natsu, too, was glad that she finally had fallen into sleep. He could feel how tense she was and knew that it was because of all the pain she was in. It was high time that she got some relief.

 _We have to make sure we land in the forest so that none of the people in the village notice that we've arrived. I don't think they would react well to our current appearance._

 **Of course, Natsu. Remember that I can see into your thoughts so I do know where we are headed. How will you explain my existence to her?**

 _How will I explain any of this to her? I have to give her the truth. She deserves that after all she has been through. And then we have to figure out what this Summoner business is._

 **I can help with that. The Summoner is a woman who possesses Celestial magic. Specifically, the kind of Celestial magic that allows them to make contracts with the various spirits whose power comes from the constellations. In the old times, these spirits lived in their own realm but they were allowed to have permanent time in this plane after the Dragon Crisis. It is said that when she is needed, the Summoner will come to aid the dragons and save their chosen people.**

 _So Lucy might be able to form contracts with magical beings?_

 **I do not know. As the old man said, even I cannot sense any magic within Lady Heartfilia.**

 _Do Summoners have the ability to cast spells themselves or is their magic only used to make the contracts?_

 **I am not certain. With the amount of effort Porla went to in order to kidnap Lady Heartfilia, I would say there is something special about the Summoner that we do not yet know about.**

After that, the internal conversation between Etherious and Natsu went silent as the pair considered the new situation they found themselves in. Due to Etherious using some of Natsu's fire to speed along their journey, they arrived at the hidden hovel before sunset. Tired from being in control for so long, Etherious faded back to the background to rest and gather his strength.

Natsu gently laid Lucy down in the soft feather bed and began to assess her bones. Her left wrist was shattered, probably from being stomped on, her right ankle was badly sprained but luckily not broken, she had three cracked ribs, but otherwise she looked better than he had expected. Natsu went out to the log where he chopped wood for a fire when they played here. All around this log were scraps and sticks that he had shaved off of the firewood. Some of these he tested and found worthy to be used in his endeavor.

Natsu returned to Lucy with the sticks and the bandage wrap that he picked up when he passed through the kitchen. He began to bind up the rest of her wounds and treat the various cuts and scrapes she had received. Three of her stab wounds needed stitches and this was what woke the slumbering blond.

"Sorry Luce. I have to get these closed so they don't get infected. I got the rest of you all patched up. At least… your arms, legs, and face. I didn't want to… well without your permission…" Natsu went very red in the face and looked away for a moment to compose himself.

"O-Oh! Thank you Natsu! H-he didn't really stab me in the stomach because my corset is made of bone so it was too much effort. I think that's mostly bruises and cracked ribs." Lucy, too, was pink in the cheeks as she described the extent of her injuries. Lucy took the opportunity to look around and figure out where Natsu had taken her. The results of her inspection made her smile softly.

"I figured we would be safe here. Nobody knows about this place but us." Natsu explained his reasoning and enjoyed the small smile on his mate's face. There was less pain lacing her expression than there had been all day.

Lucy just nodded before silently looking down at her hands, fingers interlocking and separating. Natsu finished stitching the last wound on her calf and put away the needle and thread. Reaching over, Natsu stole one of Lucy's hands away from their game and interlocked their fingers. They stayed that way for what seemed like a very long time but was actually only a matter of minutes before Lucy spoke. "Have I proven myself worthy of being let in on the big secret yet?"

For the second time that day, tears filled Natsu's eyes. "Oh Lucy…" He released her hand in favor of laying his forehead down by her shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I'm _so sorry!_ " A few of his tears fell and hit the pillow beneath his head. It was as if this opened the dam and all of a sudden he was crying in earnest, something he hadn't done since his late childhood.

After a while, Natsu felt himself calming down and it was then that he noticed the sensation of fingers filtering through his hair. Lucy had raised her right hand, the only one not in a splint, and was comforting him. "That was a bit harsh of me. I'm sorry," she apologized quietly.

Natsu lifted his head and wiped his tears. "No it wasn't. I didn't listen to my gut which has been screaming at me to just explain this stuff, Erza be damned. And because of that, I almost lost you! Never again. No more secrets from me, I promise."

Lucy reached her hand out for his again, it brought her comfort to be holding his hand. "Thank you Natsu."

It was silent for another minute with Natsu deep in concentration. Finally he broke it and ran his unoccupied hand through his hand roughly. "Gah! I don't know where to start explaining!"

It started as a giggle but suddenly, Lucy was laughing so hard, tears were streaming down her face. Natsu had mussed his hair in the oddest way and the expression on his face was that of a frustrated child. He looked so adorable and frustrated in that moment that she couldn't help but laugh. At first, her laughter made Natsu pout but soon he was laughing with her; Natsu was just happy that she was laughing this soon after her traumatic experience.

Once Lucy had regained composure, she suggested, "Why not start with magic?"

Natsu sobered up at her words and nodded in determination. "Right. Magic."

 **So... I warned you all I suck at writing fight scenes. I will try to improve myself, I promise. If you have advice, I'm open to hearing it. Anyway, magic is finally revealed in this story! I am into the summer of my schooling meaning no classes but I work just like any other normal person. 9-5 every day! So I will try to update more often but no guarantees!**

CC22


	7. Chapter 7

7

"Magic is something that some people are born with. There are many different forms. Some people just expend it in certain ways, like elements. Other people have to use magical objects to get their magic to work. There's a lot of things you can do with magic, actually. In some cases, it can be molded and shaped into different forms. That Icy Bastard makes things out of ice when he uses his magic."

"Ah… So that's why you always use ice references when you are fighting with Gray. And he uses fire with you because clearly that is your element. It makes a bit more sense that you two don't get along. Fire and ice are opposites after all," Lucy commented.

"My magic is much more awesome than his! I have Fire Dragon Slayer magic! It makes me like a dragon. I can eat fire and when I use my magic, it's like parts of me become the dragon's parts!" Natsu puffed out his chest a bit when he bragged about his magic and it brought another small smile to Lucy's face. She knew that Natsu would quickly move on to the topic of his own magic. She figured she could ask Levy or find some books on the subject to satisfy her curiosity.

"Is that why that other you takes over sometimes?" Lucy diverted the topic slightly to address another issue that had sparked her curiosity.

"No. He wasn't always there. He started talking to me and helping me out a little bit after my dad died. Sometimes, he comes out when I am angry at something and sometimes he just lends me power. He calls himself Etherious. The only one who even knew about him was Makarov and now you." Natsu looked a little sheepish at that. "I'm sorry if he made you nervous. I get a huge power boost when he comes out but I turn into a monster so Makarov and I thought it was best if we kept him a secret."

Lucy squeezed his hand, "You are not a monster. Etherious treated me well and he did some kind of fire healing thing that made me feel better. I wasn't, and never will be, scared of him Natsu."

Natsu nodded, "I can still see and hear everything that is going on when he takes over. But mostly, it's like he isn't even there. He says he likes to give me my privacy."

"A-and what did he mean when he called me your mate?" Lucy was impressed that she only stumbled over her words one time. Her face was now about the color of a lobster and she could not meet Natsu's eyes. The word just sounded so… primal. She was not sure yet how she felt about being referred to in that way.

Natsu's cheeks went pink and he sent annoyance in the direction of Etherious. As usual, he got nothing in return, indicating that the Dragon was leaving them alone. "W-well when he does come out, Etherious knows what I'm thinking and feeling. Dragons are beasts and like many others they have the urge to find and take a mate. Dragons are also mono…. Mona… mogamous?" Natsu scrunched his face up as he tried to think of the term.

"Monogamous," Lucy supplied. Her face was cooling a bit at this explanation. She loved stories and this new world of dragons and magic was drawing her in like a good book.

"Right. That. Anyway, Etherious calls himself 'the dragon' so I guess it makes sense that he would read the situation and the conversation we had and call you my mate."

It was quiet for a few minutes while that sunk in for both of them. Lucy desperately wanted to ask what Natsu thought of all of that but also didn't want to push him. She knew he cared for her and for now, that would be enough for her.

After a moment, Natsu sighed, "I should let you rest. And I have chores to do. You just get comfortable and heal ok? Oh! One other part of having dragon qualities is that I have enhanced senses. So just call me if you need anything. I should hear you even if I'm outside."

Natsu helped Lucy get settled into a more comfortable position in the bed and tucked her in. She smiled up at him before closing her eyes. It did not take long for her to fall into a deep sleep. Natsu decided that now would be the best time for him to hunt some game for a stew. To be honest, stew was the only thing he knew how to make. And he wasn't very good at that either since he wasn't sure how to use spices. He frowned a bit when he realized that Lucy was not going to be very impressed with his ability to care for her…

Natsu ended up taking out his pent-up frustration on the game in the surrounding woods. He did not go too far, both to be undetected by hunters from Lucy's home village nearby and so that he could be back quickly in case of an emergency. As expected, nothing untoward happened while he was away. Lucy continued to sleep while Natsu chopped some firewood and checked the garden.

The garden was overgrown but as Natsu began pulling weeds, he noted that some of the vegetables had survived. The tomato vines had thrived since they were taller than the weeds. And the potatoes had done well too. It was meager but they had enough to add to the stew so that it was not just rabbit. Natsu's next step was to get water for the stew. He filled the cauldron with water from the stream and started a fire in the kitchen stove to get the water to boil.

Digging into one of the drawers, Natsu pulled out a knife and began to prepare the meat for cooking. The rest of the meat, he would store by salting it down. Winter was fast approaching as the Season usually went through Christmas and ended in the spring. Lucy would miss the rest of the Season and she would not make it to court this cycle but Natsu had a feeling she didn't mind.

He knew his explanation of magic was not good enough for her but explaining things was not something he was good at. Natsu preferred to just leave things as they were and take new things in stride. He knew that Lucy was more of a thinker and she would have a lot more questions. Natsu had considered going into town to see if the small library had any books on magic but he strongly doubted that there were any books in the library that would give Lucy accurate information.

Most people didn't think magic was real. That was due to the fact that most people were not born with magic. Mages only made up about 1% of the population so most people would never come in contact with someone that had magic. In fact, most of the magic wielding people were in the upper class or army of Fiore and for that reason, magic was not something made known to the citizens.

Natsu finished cutting up the meat and by now the water was boiling so he added the meat and the potatoes to the pot. He considered adding some of the herbs that were hanging from the rafters; they added a nice fragrance to the air but Natsu was lost on which ones would taste best in the stew so he left them out. Besides, wasn't bland food best for people who weren't well?

The smell of stew was what eventually woke Lucy. Her stomach complained loudly when she finally had the wherewithal to pay attention to it and she was soon calling for Natsu to bring her a bowl. Natsu obliged happily and seemed rather tense as he watched her eat. Lucy made sure to compliment the chef even though anything would have tasted amazing to her in that moment. Her compliments made Natsu's face turn pink and he stammered some nonsense to brush off all her praise. After supper, Natsu made quick work of their bowls and rinsed out the cauldron so he could spend more time with Lucy. He updated her on the status of the garden and on the game he had caught during his hunt. Lucy listened to his, rather embellished, tales of catching the rabbit they had enjoyed during their supper. To hear him tell it, this was the sneakiest rabbit in the forest who was trying every trick in the books to evade capture. The story did make her laugh though, which was Natsu's goal the entire time.

Two weeks passed by in a similar fashion, with Lucy growing more stir crazy each day. Finally, Natsu decided she was well enough to get out of bed and use her weary muscles though he strongly cautioned her about how much she could do. Lucy walked outside slowly, leaning heavily on Natsu, and had him sit her down near the garden. There, she could pull the weeds within reach and work on something to make herself feel useful. Natsu worked outside in their yard as well, tidying up and planning out some landscaping. He was really doing his best to make this hovel a home for the two of them. They finalized the plans for the second floor and the extra rooms the night before so one of Natsu's tasks that day was to look for suitable trees that would have the lumber for his endeavor.

"Why don't you just go into town and order the lumber you'll need? I don't mind if people know you are here. They will just think you are working on one of your crazy schemes again," Lucy suggested.

"I don't want anyone to come snooping. And I certainly don't want them to find you here. If someone like Jose Porla was willing to stake his life and position on kidnapping you, who knows what kind of people with less to lose are looking? And, no offense, but I just don't trust the townspeople to keep us a secret. Besides, we aren't married; your honor is at stake here too." Natsu had a point. The villagers let them get away with a lot over the summer he spent with them but living together without a chaperone was inexcusable even for them.

"Then let's get married." Lucy was shocked by her own words! Her eyes went wide as she stared at Natsu almost as if he had been the one to speak, not her.

Natsu, for his part, was just as surprised. After a moment of stunned silence, he chuckled, "That's twice now Lucy. You really want to marry me don't you?"

Lucy's face once again rivaled that of a lobster. She found that she could not form a coherent sentence to defend herself. Besides, it was not as if she did not want to marry Natsu. She actually liked the idea. The two had been living lives close to that of a married couple for the past two weeks. Natsu did not share her bed but he was there when she woke in the morning and he was there when she closed her eyes at night. They shared meals and they lived under the same roof. The only thing missing were the rings and the vows.

"I don't want to get married out of convenience," Natsu finally said. "Besides, I promised you a year to make your decision and I will not go back on that. We still have eight months left for me to screw up so badly you realize you don't want to marry me after all."

Lucy rolled her eyes at that, "You aren't as bad as you make yourself seem Natsu. But you are right; we did say one year and we should both stick with it. There is a lot going on that I still do not understand fully in your world as well. It would not be wise to make any lasting attachments."

The pair continued in silence after that until Lucy spoke again, "Cutting down trees will attract a lot of attention Natsu. Besides, it is going to be winter in a few weeks; I'm not sure the colder months are a good time for home renovations."

Natsu sighed and turned to Lucy with his signature pout, "But Luuuuuuucy! I really wanna build the perfect house for us!"

Lucy giggled at his antics, "I know Natsu. And you will. But do you want me to catch my death of cold while you build that perfect house? What good will it do me when I'm dead?"

Natsu pretended to think for a moment. "I'll just freeze your body and take you with me like a life sized doll! You'll never leave me!" Natsu approached her with his arms outstretched as if to capture her. Lucy squealed and waved her arms, trying in vain to keep him away. In the end, Lucy was on her back in the dirt, chest heaving as she tried to get air into her lungs after having all of it tickled out of her by her playful dragon.

Life continued in quaint bliss for the next two weeks. Lucy was regaining health quickly, though the broken bones will take longer to heal than the cuts and bruises. At this point, Lucy's bruises were a rather nasty green color but that was a sign of the blood beneath the skin being cleared up. Her wrist was more annoying than painful at this point. She kept the splint on to ensure that the bone would heal correctly but it seemed like there was a constant itch beneath the wrapping. She tried to keep herself busy in the garden but most of the produce had been harvested and there was not much to do since winter was upon them. Natsu had filled the cellar underneath the home with salted meats and had stored much of the meager harvest in some barrels.

The main worry Lucy had was getting through the winter. Though they had meat, they did not have any dairy or materials to make bread. The only produce they had was beans, tomatoes and many potatoes, some of which Lucy was saving for seed. It would be difficult to make quality meals, especially with the sheer amount that Natsu could consume. She kept these fears to herself, however, because she had noticed that Natsu prided himself on showing her that he could take care of her. When she thought about it, it was most likely due to the concept of caring for a mate or even wooing one. The thought made a nice rosy tone appear on her cheeks and she would smile softly to herself.

Their peaceful bliss was interrupted just one day later. Lucy was in the small house mending one of Natsu's shirts. He had torn a hole in the elbow when he was hunting in the forest. She had learned how to sew from the housekeeper and, while her father preferred embroidery, he was not against Lucy's sewing lessons. Besides, at this point it was too cold for Lucy outside. She hated the cold while it did not seem to affect Natsu at all! Natsu had finished cleaning up the yard and was working on making sure that their home was ready for the winter. He was filling in the chinks in the wall with a mud mix that he made from the water and dirt near the stream.

Natsu was listening to Lucy hum a tune while she worked on his shirt. She actually had a small pile of his clothes to mend. She had washed them the day before which was how she discovered that there were some holes in his clothes. He had felt a little clumsy when he realized how many of his shirts and pants were damaged. Lucy, however, had just eagerly offered to mend them saying that she felt rather useless and really wanted something to work on. Natsu glanced through the window and watched as she made small, tight stitches into his shirt. The fire he had made was still burning brightly and the scene was so domestic that Natsu felt his chest tighten with longing. Someday, this would have to end but he could not wait for the day when he could make this his reality until death do they part.

His line of thought was derailed as he heard someone approaching through the woods. From the direction, it sounded like whoever this was, they were from the town. Natsu quickly put his mud bucket down and moved to cut the person off. It almost sounded like they were in a hurry. Natsu expanded his senses and could feel Etherious stirring in the back of his mind. They were ready to protect their mate. When his nose caught the scent, Natsu relaxed but only marginally. It took another minute for Mr. Heartfilia to step into the clearing that served as the yard for their home.

"How did you know about this place?" Natsu did not give the stationmaster time to say anything, immediately taking charge of the situation.

"There are a lot of things that I am aware of, especially when it concerns my daughter. I got notice that you had taken her somewhere safe after she was attacked and this was the first place I thought to look. I must see her, Natsu." Jude Heartfilia looked genuinely worried. Natsu had not seen this much emotion on the man's face since Lucy's mother was still alive. He was battling with himself over denying that Lucy was here and letting the man see her. After all, Natsu's last interaction with Jude was not a positive one.

As it turned out, Natsu did not have to make a decision. Lucy had heard more than one voice outside and grew concerned for Natsu. When she looked out the window and saw her father, her concern grew and she immediately made her way to the door. "Father?" she broke the tense silence between the two men.

The reaction from her father was not what the couple was expecting. Jude's face broke into such immense relief and he immediately rushed around Natsu to get to Lucy. Once he reached her, he enveloped her in his embrace and began to speak. "You're alright! I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to you. I thought I failed Layla. When I heard you had been attacked, I was so scared and I tried to contact Lady Dreyer but she did not know where you were. All she knew was that you were with Natsu. I just needed to make sure you were alright."

Lucy's eyes were the size of dinner plates. Her father had been so distant since her mother died and, while she knew he had to still care, she was not sure that he really saw her as his daughter. On top of that, Jude had never expressed this much emotion to her, ever. She had seen him with her mother and knew that he was capable of caring for someone deeply but it never seemed to come out with her. As her shock started to dissipate, Lucy noticed that her father was trembling as he embraced her. Clearly, he had been very shaken by the news he'd received of her. Lucy moved her arms up and returned her father's embrace.

"It's alright Papa. Natsu has been taking really good care of me. My wrist is the only thing that is still bothering me but it can't be helped. The bones have to heal on their own. I'm fine." Lucy was not sure how to comfort him as she did not feel like she knew this man.

"Lucy... I know I haven't been the father that you deserve but please... just let me hold my daughter for a little longer."

Lucy felt the tears well up in her eyes. She fisted her hands in her father's fur coat and tucked herself against his warm chest. All of the various emotions, the fear, stress, relief, and confusion of the past month seemed to hit her at one time and she began to sob. "I was so scared Papa," she sobbed. Lucy felt her father begin to stroke her head in a soothing way and tighten his hold on her while he murmured comforting phrases into her ear and let her cry away her fears.

Natsu felt a little awkward just standing there watching the scene unfold between an estranged father and daughter. He was happy that there appeared to be a shift in their relationship but he wasn't sure if he should give them space. Once again, Natsu did not have to make that decision. Lucy calmed down quickly and pulled away from her father to wipe her eyes. An adorable (in Natsu's opinion) yawn was covered by a small, pale hand and Jude chuckled. "You always get tired after you have a good cry. You used to fall asleep on your mother's lap after she comforted you."

Lucy smiled at her father, "She always put me in my bed for a nap and had cookies ready for me when I woke up. I miss her."

"You should go lie down. I promise I'll be here when you wake up. There are some things we need to discuss and I think I'm overdue for a conversation with Natsu too."

Lucy quirked one eyebrow up at him, "Go easy on him Papa. I might have been badly injured but he never did anything without my permission. It was me that asked him to bring me here." Jude made no promises but the softer look in his eyes convinced Lucy that her suitor would be safe with her father. Lucy went back inside to take a nap as all the crying really had worn her out.

Once Lucy was safely inside the small house, Jude turned around to face Natsu. Glancing around the small yard, Jude noticed that Natsu had a bucket of mud and was in the process of sealing the house against the colder winds of the winter. For the first time, Jude also noticed that Natsu's hands were muddy and he had some mud splattered on his shirt and pants. "You've been working hard."

Natsu picked up the bucket again and used one hand to stir up the mud, making sure it hadn't dried out too much, and began his chinking project again. "I told you before, I care about Lucy a lot." Natsu was wary of this conversation. Things might have changed between Jude and Lucy but he wasn't sure things had changed between Jude and himself.

"I know you do. That's why I was so against you being with my daughter. I know what you are Mr. Dragneel. Do not forget that our families were friends. There is much more history between the Dragneels and the Heartfilias than even you know." Jude came over and dipped his own hand into the mud bucket, pulling out a handful and beginning to assist the younger boy.

"That doesn't make any sense! Don't you want someone who cares about Lucy to be the one to marry her?" Natsu turned a confused glance to the patriarch.

"It isn't just because you care, Natsu. It is more because of your magic. You're a Dragon Slayer and that means you take a mate. I know that I can't get in the way if that person is my daughter but... I really hoped that I could keep Lucy away from the world of magic. It was a foolish dream but I held on to it for as long as possible."

Natsu froze at the mention of magic. He placed the bucket back on the ground and turned to face Jude. "Do you know anything about a Summoner?"

Jude sighed and slumped his shoulders. "So it has come to this... Natsu, I do not want to have to tell the story many times. When Lucy wakes up, we will finish this conversation with her."

Natsu nodded and the two men began their work once more. "So how did you know this place existed? We thought only we knew about it."

Jude laughed at that question. "Natsu, someone had to build this little home for you to even find it!"

"Are you saying you built this?!"

Jude paused again and a faraway look came into his eyes as a soft smile graced his face. "I built this for Layla once upon a time. We were running from a great danger but she found out she was pregnant and I did not want to strain her body. So I found this clearing which, at the time, was in the middle of nowhere and I spent one summer building this house. It isn't much but Layla loved it. When I found out that you and Lucy had a 'secret base' I just knew it had to be this old hovel. Somehow, it feels right, passing this down to you and Lucy."

After that, the men worked in silence. With both of them working, the hovel was sealed against the wind in no time. Jude made Natsu show him their provisions and, when he saw how meager their stores were, he promised to bring them what they lacked from town. Natsu was against this at first but Jude was adamant that no daughter of his was going to go without her bread and butter. Eventually, Natsu gave in and thanked the older man for his help. The two men retired to the fireside and chatted about possible improvements to the home. Jude thought they should build a coop and add some chickens since those were easy to care for and would provide a steady source of food. Natsu shared their expansion plan detailing the second floor of the hovel and Jude suggested a few edits that would make things easier to build. He even offered to help when the time came by having lumber shipped in on the train so that Natsu would not have to chop down trees and make his own lumber. The men were forming an alliance of sorts founded on the basis of protecting and providing for Lucy. It was clear to Natsu that Jude was still wary of letting Lucy be wooed by him but it was even more clear that Jude did love his daughter. He just wanted what was best for her and what would make her happy. So he was trying to get used to the idea that Natsu might become a fixture in his life.

"Why did you distance yourself from Lucy for so long?" Natsu finally asked after a lull in conversation.

"I didn't know what to do after Layla died. I had left the raising of our daughter up to her and when she was gone, I did not know how to continue where she left off. I realized that, as much time as I had spent with them, I did not really know my little girl. I did not know what to do when she was crying or when she had a nightmare. I also figured that I could not replace her mother so I tried to let the female members of my staff fill that gap. I kept thinking that it would get easier as she got older but it only got more difficult. I still do not quite know what I'm doing and I'm sure I will mess up. But Lucy will need someone that understands her situation and nobody will understand quite like I will. So I will be here for her when she needs me." Jude stared into the fire as he spoke and his voice was laced with regret for all the lost time.

"That's all I ever wanted Papa." Twin male gazes shot to her figure leaning against the door frame. Her eyes were still fogged with the sleep she had just risen from but they were slowly clearing.

"Lucy... I'm sorry I haven't been available to you. At first, I just thought that I would be of no help since you wanted your mother back. And then... I guess it was just easier to immerse myself in work and convince myself that, as long as I made sure you had everything you could ever want, I was doing my job."

Lucy walked over and knelt at her father's feet. She placed her hands over his in his lap and smiled up at him. "All I really wanted was my Papa to hold me and tell me everything was going to be alright. But how could you have known that? I never tried to tell you how I felt or ask you for what I needed. We both messed up when it came to our relationship. Let's just move forward from here and resolve to do better."

Jude caressed her cheek with one hand and looked fondly down at his daughter, "You're just like your mother. She would be so proud of you. And she would probably be rather cross with me for how I've acted. You are definitely ready to hear our story. Why don't we make dinner and I will tell you everything you need or want to know?"

Lucy smiled. "That sounds good to me!"

 **Long chapter! I love summer! No classes, just work and a lot of meetings. I have a rush project to do in lab which is taking a lot of my time but I love the work and I can't wait to go in every morning. People tell me that it will wear off but I hope it never does. My mom is visiting this weekend so I'll be busy with that but I have so many things planned out for the rest of this story! We are finally starting to enter the part where things get serious. This story has the potential for me to delve into a variety of story lines so I want your opinion now. Do you prefer stories with as few characters as possible or are multiple story lines something you would be interested in?**

 **As an aside, I always wanted Lucy and her father to make up. I was really sad when *SPOILER ALERT* he died before they could. If you read my other stories where her father is involved, you might find a theme.**

 **Another note, because I have to let out my feelings, WHY MUST FAIRY TAIL END?! IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE NEVER ENDING ADVENTURE RIGHT?! Every time a new chapter comes out with the countdown, I get all sad. If NaLu isn't cannon by the end though, I will have words with Mashima-sensei!**

 **Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter!**

 **CC22**


	8. Chapter 8

**Before I start this chapter I have to announce something! I am over a year late for this realization but I just found out that this story was added to the Nalu or Nothing community archive! I can't tell you how honored I am that this happened. Whenever one of my stories is added to a community I just feel so honored because to me it means that others found enough value in my story to want to share it with a lot of friends. So thank you again, for bestowing that honor on this story. And now, on to the chapter!**

8

Lucy finished dinner quickly as her curiosity was growing as each minute passed. What was her father going to reveal about her family? She knew that the Heartfilias were supposed to come from wealth and she had not wanted for anything as a child. But they lived in a small village so they were by no means well known were they? She served dinner while being a bit distracted with her thoughts; it was lucky that nobody got any stew spilled on them. Natsu watched her carefully; he did not want her to become over exerted since she was still healing. He was also concerned about what Jude was going to reveal to them. Natsu knew it had something to do with magic and he was rather worried that this story would bring new dangers to the people he loved.

Jude ate his stew quickly since he could feel the tense atmosphere surrounding them. He figured that the sooner he started on his story, the better for all of them. When he set down his spoon, he took a deep breath, and began.

...

I should start with the truth about our family lineage. I am the son of the previous Minister of Finance, Jacoby Kozern. In fact, I inherited his position when he died but since I made it hard to track me down, it was a few years before I stepped into those shoes. That is why I am frequently busy or meeting with various men in my office all the time. I still run this country's financial affairs though my whereabouts have been kept relatively quiet all these years. In my younger days, I would spend a lot of time wandering the gardens or in the library reading up on the economies of other countries since I knew I would inherit a great amount of responsibility when I came of age.

I was only eighteen years old when I met Layla. Things were different back then. Magic was something that few people had and while all of it was still concentrated in the nobility and military as it is today, there was even less of it then there is now. Anyway, Layla was the next in line of the Heartfilia family. They were treated as nobility because of their magic and really for no other reason. They come from a line of some of the most ancient magic that still exists today. They are known as Celestial Mages. But one among their line, when the times call for it, becomes the Summoner.

The Summoner is a celestial mage that has a higher magic content than all other celestial mages and has the ability to summon each of the twelve Zodiac spirits. It is said that the first Summoner was the one who made a contract with the Celestial Spirit King himself and it is known that this person was a woman from the Heartfilia family. Due to some stipulation of the contract, only a woman from the direct Heartfilia line is able to become a Summoner. To keep track of these women, all members of the Heartfilia family keep their last name even if they get married. Another part of the contract with the Celestial Spirit King is that any celestial mage can obtain a Zodiac key and form a contract with a member of the Zodiac but if the Summoner calls for it, the Zodiac spirit will come to their aid regardless of what their contracted mage wishes.

Layla lived with her great grandmother Anna in a manor just outside the castle walls. Anna had rooms in the castle meant for her use but in her old age she grew to despise the political life and wished for a more quiet existence. Unfortunately, those with great power cannot just abandon us. Anna was a Summoner and for a while it was thought that she might be the last. While Layla's mother was still alive, it was known that neither woman demonstrated such power. However, when Layla's mother passed away, a great deal of her magic passed down to her daughter and Anna recognized that Layla would become the next Summoner. So, Anna took Layla under her wing and began to train her. Due to their increase in magic power, Summoners can learn spells that most celestial mages cannot simply because they are not powerful enough.

Even though they lived outside the castle walls, Layla still frequently visited the castle gardens. She loved the flowers and how peaceful and quiet it was there. We met there often while I was courting her. At first, everything seemed to be going well. Then one day while we were strolling through her favorite part of the garden (the part where all the peonies grow, she loved peonies), I noticed that she seemed bothered by something.

"Is there something on your mind Layla," I asked.

"There is. I'm not sure I should talk about it. I promised someone that I would keep it a secret."

Her response was very intriguing which lead me to continue pestering her about it until she rather sternly told me to stop. Layla never yelled. But she could be rather frightening when she glared at you. I admit that after that incident, I forgot about it until around two weeks later when Layla seemed very nervous about something. She kept looking around and it almost seemed like she was looking for someone. I do not like to be ignored and I quickly grew tired of competing for her attention so I made up some excuse and we split up. However, I was determined to figure out just what was bothering her. So I followed her.

I will admit that what follows is not my brightest moment. I followed Layla as she continued through the gardens in a much more hurried place. She made it to an outer wall where it seemed like the garden was supposed to end. However, I watched as she reached through the hedge and turned a knob that I had never noticed before. She disappeared through the hedge and I could no longer follow for fear of being discovered. I debated long and hard over the next few days about whether or not to question Layla about the secret garden. Eventually, I just decided to keep spying on her and see what I could find. On this particular day, I had finally determined that the secret garden must be big enough for me to sneak into without being caught if I waited for a sufficient period of time to allow Layla to move away from the door.

I opened the door and slipped through into a more overgrown part of the garden. It appeared that this portion of the garden was forgotten by everyone including the ground staff since it had not been kept up in many years. While I wandered around, looking for Layla again, I heard voices. There was one female voice that I recognized as Layla's and another, masculine voice. I grew more curious as I made my way towards the voices. When I peered through the leaves of a particularly overgrown bush, I grew rather angry. Layla was talking to a boy about fifteen years of age who had black hair and the most peculiar set of red eyes I had ever seen. His skin was very pale, almost as if he were sick, and he was speaking urgently to her about something. She kept gesturing to him and though I couldn't hear what they were saying it looked as though they were very close.

I wanted to rush over there and beat that little upstart into the ground for trying to steal her away from me! But then I realized that she had been sneaking away to meet with him herself, not being forced into anything. My anger moved onto her and I walked away. I did not get far before I turned around to march back and confront her about it. But each time I would get close, I would turn around again and head back for the exit. Unfortunately, I debated with myself for a bit too long and the next thing I knew, I heard a gasp as Layla came across me on her way back to the exit.

"Jude! What are you doing here?!"

At this point, my anger bubbled to the surface, "Don't give me that! I never saw a sign saying that this garden was off limits to everyone but you! Well, you and whatever men you like to share the location with so you can meet with them behind my back. I really thought you were different Layla. But I guess you really are just a gold digger like all the other ladies in this castle. I won't be strung along any longer. Goodbye Layla, I hope I never see you again!"

I'll never forget the look on her face. Her eyes filled with tears and her lower lip trembled as she fought back the sobs that were choking her. She could not form any words and for the life of me I could not figure out why she was so upset. After all, I was the fool here. I figured that she was either trying to get pity from me or was upset that she had been caught. Either way, I did not stay long enough to find out. I marched out of there even as my own heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. I had been planning to ask Anna for her hand the next time I visited their manor, since she did not have a living father.

For the next several weeks, I threw myself into my work. Father had been training me to take over much of his work so that he could retire and enjoy the rest of his life. I had blown off a lot of it to spend as much time as I could with Layla and Father, though unhappy with my lack of responsibility, was proud that his son was going to marry one of the Heartfilia line. He did not question me when I came and asked him for more duties. I began to take over some of the meetings he held and I was allowed into the more secretive part of his job. You see, the Minister of Finance has his hands in all of the economic movements of Fiore. As such, he has many connections with other countries and with all of the various nobility. My father used these connections to his advantage to gain information as well as money for the kingdom. I was given my own band of spies to oversee and I studied hard under my father's guidance.

That is not to say that Layla did not try to contact me. She sent me several letters which I burned without reading figuring they were full of lies. She sent a few of her maids with messages but I sent all of them away. When I would glance out my window sometimes, I would see her in the garden sitting on the bench that had been our meeting spot as if waiting. But I never showed up. The closest she ever got was when I was in the library to retrieve a few more books that I needed for a report I was drawing up. Her face had such a hopeful look as she approached me but I pretended I didn't see her and just left with my books.

Then one morning I was up early to get a head start on all the work that I would have to get done. I arrived at my office to find the door slightly ajar. I was always careful to lock up when I left and only Father and I had the keys to the office. It crossed my mind that it might be Father in the office with the same idea as me but just to be careful, I drew my short sword and stepped into the room. What I found made me freeze in surprise. Sitting in my desk chair humming a little tune was a small girl who looked about fourteen. She was so short, her legs couldn't reach the floor and she was swinging them back and forth as she waited. When she saw me come in, she smiled this big, bright smile and waved.

"I've been waiting for you Mr. Jude!"

I frowned at her and closed my door again, "How did you get in here?"

"I picked the lock with one of my hairpins. It was actually really easy even though this is the first time I've ever done something like that. I'm sorry, I know you keep a lot of super secret information in here but you weren't listening to anything Layla had to say and I just can't let my friend stay sad!" She still had that smile on her face but her eyes were looking rather dangerous.

"I do not need to hear anything she has to say. I do not care if she is sorry or really how she is feeling. She never should have lied to me or lead me on like that." For some reason, I felt the need to defend my actions towards Layla to this little girl.

"You should never make assumptions unless you know the whole story." I was beginning to get the impression that this girl was wise beyond her years.

"Fine. I get the feeling this will never go away until you have said what you came here to say. Spit it out so I can get to work."

The girl glared at me and crossed her arms but she still spoke up. "This whole thing is one big misunderstanding. It is also mostly my fault. You see, I've been engaged in a forbidden friendship with the Crown Prince of Alvarez. I met him when I was running from some evil men who wanted to make me their slave. I jumped into his carriage and he let me hide out there until the men were gone. Then he taught me some defensive moves I could use if they ever came back. That was about a year ago. Since then, I got a job here at the castle as a maid but I wasn't any good at it. The housekeeper said my mind was too 'flighty' for hard work. When I was thrown out, Layla found me and took me in. She is like the big sister I never had. I told her about Zeref, that's the Crown Prince, and how I wanted to meet him again. She told me who he was and that our two countries do not get along so I probably wouldn't see him again."

At this point, I interrupted, "What does your sad little friendship have to do with any of this?" The glare she sent me was enough to stop my questions after that.

"When I heard his family was coming to Fiore to show off Zeref's new little brother, I decided to sneak out and visit him. Long story short, I was able to find him and it was like we were never apart. Of course, Layla is a genius so she found out really quick about our meetings. At first, she tried to stop us but... well at this point we've decided that we are in love and nobody is going to stop us from being together. So now, she tries to help us meet in secret. I made her promise not to tell but I meant that she couldn't tell anyone who would get us in trouble! I never meant for her to keep secrets from you. You shouldn't keep secrets from the people you love."

Here, she paused and seemed to get lost in a daydream. Her vibrant green eyes glazed over and she began to hum again. I had to clear my throat to bring her back to the present. "So now you've finished your story. You can leave now."

"So are you going to meet Layla in the gardens today? You know she never misses a day. She was even out there in the rain yesterday. I made her take an umbrella so she wouldn't catch a cold." She looked so hopeful. Like if she just explained why all of this had happened, everything would go back to the way it was before. Like I would forget how hurt I was that Layla could keep a secret from me and go behind my back with her own agenda.

"No. You may as well tell her to stop wasting her time on that bench. I don't have the time for people I can't trust."

"But you love her! I found this ring in your desk drawer! Sorry, I shouldn't have been snooping but I got really bored waiting for you to show up so I just took a little peek. It's a really pretty ring, Layla will love it."

She was holding out the box with the ring in it, almost as if she was proposing to me. Slowly, I reached out and took the box from her and flipped it open. The ring stared back at me until I shut the box again. "What is your name," I asked the girl.

"Mavis Vermillion, at your service!"

"Well Mavis, love is not enough to base a long term relationship on. If you can't trust your partner, you do not have a solid foundation on which to build your life together. Without that foundation, the slightest disturbance can send everything crashing down. If she really trusted me, wouldn't she have asked you for permission to tell me? But she didn't. She had no intention of telling me about all of this. I could have helped you both, you know. As little as it may be right now, I do hold some power here in court and one day I will be one of the most powerful allies a person could have. Sorry to burst your happy little bubble Mavis, but in the real world, things don't always work out."

Mavis pouted at that response. She moved around to the front of my desk and gave me one last long look before she headed for the door. I took her place in my chair and pulled a paper down from a stack that I was still working on. I heard the door shut softly as Mavis exited and sighed. Shaking my head, I started in on the day's work. The day was progressing slowly but peacefully. I didn't have any meetings that day so I was using it to get caught up on all of my paperwork. All of a sudden, there was a commotion in the hallway and something that sounded like an explosion. I stood up and was about to run out and see what was going on when my door burst open.

She stood there, glowing gold and panting slightly. Gold light dripped from her clenched fists as she stared at me with determination and slight desperation in her eyes. In that moment, I thought she was some archangel, coming down to exact vengeance from those who had wronged her. And for some reason, I felt like I might be in trouble. Then the look in her eyes softened and grief entered her frame. Her fists relaxed and the golden glow began to fade. "Tell me what I have to do to earn your trust again!"

I realized when I closed my mouth, that it had dropped open at her entrance. "What the hell did you do Layla?!"

She frowned at this remark but answered me anyway, "Your servants were not letting me through! They kept saying you were busy and not to be disturbed but I am tired of all of this fighting and sadness and pain so I might have blasted them a little with a small spell and knocked them out so I could talk to you. Now answer my question!"

"Question? What...? You knocked them out?! Gods, Layla what were you thinking?! You could get in big trouble for this!" I was having trouble comprehending what had just happened.

"I don't care! I don't care if I rot in jail! I just had to find out if I could ever earn back your trust. Is it really hopeless Jude? I know I messed up, and I know being sorry is not enough for you. So please tell me what I can do to make it up to you! I... I really love you Jude. And I thought that... that maybe we might... but if you can't forgive me then I will leave you alone. I won't bother you anymore. But you should know that if that happens then the Heartfilia line dies with me! I'm not going to give myself to anyone else so don't you dare take me lightly Jude Kozern!" She was back to being angry and I was back to feeling like I was in trouble.

I came around to the front of my desk so that it was no longer between us. Leaning back, I rested my weight on the desk as I scrubbed my hands down my face. "Why didn't you trust me Layla? I would never have spilled your secret, I thought you knew that! Instead, you resorted to sneaking around like you were having an affair! Do you know how it felt to see you all cozy with another man? All this time, I've been looking for a woman who wanted to be with me because of who I am and not what I can offer them. I thought that was you."

Layla's eyes filled with tears and once again, I wondered why she was the one getting upset here. "Oh Jude!" She didn't let any of her tears fall, I think because she did not want to break down in front of me. "It's not that I don't trust you, it is just the bindings of a celestial mage. We make promises with our spirits in the form of contracts and to break a promise lowers your value as a mage. I promised Mavis that I wouldn't tell anyone about her secret. It killed me when I realized that meant you too. That day in the garden, I was trying to tell Zeref that I just couldn't keep things from you anymore. It was his last day on his visit and I was hoping he would let me tell you about everything. I tried to convince him that we could trust you but he kept saying that the more people knew about him and Mavis, the more danger Mavis would be in. When I left, I told him that if he wouldn't let me talk to you about all of this, I was not going to help them anymore. I couldn't stand keeping a secret from you any longer."

I let that information sink in for a while. Layla started to shuffle her feet and wring her hands together. She always did that when she was worried about what someone might think of her. "You really were going to back out of that deal? What about Mavis?"

"That part was hard too. I love Mavis like a sister. I don't want to do anything to hurt her. But you... Your good opinion of me was worth more than keeping secrets for my sister. Besides, I thought that I could at least make her understand. She wouldn't like it but she wouldn't hold it against me either."

"How long?"

"Since the day you pestered me about what was bothering me in the garden. I almost told you then but..."

"Why haven't you ever told me about Mavis?"

"I haven't? ...I guess I haven't. Well that was just poor manners on my part. When we took her in, she just fit so perfectly into our family that I guess I forgot she hadn't always been there. She is also a bit scatterbrained which worries me. She sees the good in everyone but so much so that it seems to blind her to the darkness in the world. I guess I'm a bit protective of her."

I considered this for a moment. Finally, I said, "Did you mean what you said?"

"I meant every word of everything I've ever said to you. I don't want to have any more secrets from you Jude."

"So... if I don't marry you, the Heartfilia line will die with you and it's quite possible that there will no longer be a Summoner to hold up the contract with the Celestial Spirit King?"

Layla turned a pretty shade of pink as she recalled her hastily spoken words. "Th-That's right!"

"Well then I guess I have a duty to my country as well as the spirits of the Zodiac to make sure that doesn't happen." I was smirking at her by this point.

She pouted back at me and crossed her arms under her chest. "Is that the only reason you have to marry me?"

"No-o." I drawled, leaning up off of my desk and reaching for her. She let her arms drop to rest on my chest as I took her back into my arms. "You're quite beautiful you know. Everyone will be jealous when they find out you're my wife. I'll have the prettiest woman on my arm at all the court functions!"

"Jude!" she giggled and swatted my chest, her cheeks a nice rosy color from my teasing. I laughed before leaning down and kissing her quickly. She had to stand on her toes to return it but she balanced herself by grasping my shirt.

"It also doesn't hurt that I love you and can't imagine a life without you in it. The past few weeks have been awful!" I confessed when we parted and she looked bashfully up at me through her lashes.

"It wasn't fun for me either. No more secrets, I promise." I knew what a promise from her meant so I grinned down at her and leaned my forehead against hers.

"No more secrets."

 **We don't get too much information in the manga about Jude and Layla's love story so I took it upon myself to make one up. Jude has not finished with all he has to say so there will be more first person POV to come. I was going to have Jude tell the whole story in this chapter but it was getting rather long and I decided to break it up a bit. When I am fleshing out a story, sometimes I think of a lot of little details that I want to add so things end up longer than originally planned.**

 **Stay tuned for the next update!**

 **Shout out to my loyal followers, favorites, and especially those who reviewed. I am trying to be better at responding to reviews when I can but for now, I want to thank the following people for their reviews. Please keep them coming!**

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 **CC22**


	9. Chapter 9

**Apologies in advance for the note after this chapter. You don't have to read it if you don't want to but I had to get it off my chest. Please enjoy the chapter and let me know what you think!**

9

After that fight, things went well for Layla and I. She wore my ring proudly which, in turn, made me proud. I announced our engagement right after we made up in my office and, while my father was not entirely sure of the match, he was at least proud that I was marrying the next Summoner. We set the date for the wedding for a year later and I told Layla she could plan it however she wanted. I just wanted to marry her, I didn't much care about how everything went down as long as she was my wife when it was over.

Now that I knew the secret behind Mavis and Zeref, I did my best to help them too. I will admit to developing a fondness for Mavis. She had a way about her that made you want to protect her or help her when she asked you to do so. I had a villa near the border with Alvarez, I still do, should you ever have use of it Lucy. I would often invite the Heartfilia family over to visit and we used these visits to allow the young lovers to meet in secret. You see, when you are in the glow of young love, you want everyone to feel as you do and you tend to help things along for others. The downside to this is that sometimes you overlook things that otherwise would have been found important. Layla and I made this mistake. We overlooked the troubling news coming from Alvarez over that year. I guess we just thought that as long as we kept things in Fiore, we would be fine.

Layla and I were married in a grand ceremony with Mavis as her Maid of Honor and one of my friends as my Best Man. Afterwards, we honeymooned in our villa where we allowed Mavis and Zeref to meet once again. This was the last meeting they would have. You see, things in Alvarez were not going well. Zeref was now old enough to consider marriage but had put off all formal engagement meetings because he was in love with Mavis. They were working out a way to be together and it was beginning to look like an elopement was the only way for this to work. They planned to elope at our villa with only us as witnesses and then we would hide Zeref and Mavis until things calmed down or they were forgotten. We even considered faking Zeref's death to allow him to have the life he truly wanted. Something kept stopping him from fully agreeing to that plan and to this day I am not sure what.

The Emperor of Alvarez at the time was Zeref's father, Acnologia. His mother had passed away when he was but a young child and Acnologia remarried so fast there were rumors of foul play in the Empress' death. Zeref was not fond of his step-mother but there was nothing he could do about her. Acnologia was very abusive towards his son both physically and mentally. Because of this, Zeref would say some strange things sometimes but we all ignored it as a coping mechanism. We did not see the signs of his looming insanity. Just before Layla and I were married, an announcement came from Alvarez that a second Prince was born but nobody ever saw the child and still hasn't to this day so it is thought that this was a lie. Zeref never confirmed whether or not he had a half-brother either.

Anyway, Layla and I were standing next to a small alter in a small chapel near the border while Mavis and Zeref said their vows. Just as they were sealing their love with a kiss, and arrow came whistling through the window and struck Mavis in her chest. Layla screamed, and everything went to hell in a handbasket.

I drew my sword just as a small group of what I can only call assassins came through the chapel windows. Layla was bent over Mavis trying to do something for her and Zeref was standing in shock.

"Help me defeat them Zeref! They cannot be allowed to get away with this!" I tried to motivate him. It must have worked because a rage like I've never seen came over his face.

I must admit that until that point, I felt indifferent towards Zeref. But when I saw the madness in his eyes... I began to fear him. We dispatched of the small group with some difficulty on my end. I was proficient with a sword but not by any means a master. Zeref though... he killed over half the men and at the end of it was laughing with maniacal glee.

I rushed over to Layla's side to see if I could help her with Mavis but I found her sobbing. "The arrow... it struck her heart! There wasn't anything I could do!" She was inconsolable for this was one whom she considered a sister. I held her in my arms and tried my best to help ease her grief but nothing I did would help. Suddenly, I felt a dark presence behind me. Thinking that maybe we had missed one of the assassins, I whirled around pushing my wife behind me and brandishing my weapon.

It was Zeref who stood before me, not an assassin. The wild madness was back in his eyes as he pointed his own dagger at me.  
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT!" He screamed. "You have never approved of me and you thought to take the one piece of happiness I have in my life from me!"

"NO!" I was astonished that he would come to this conclusion. "I would never do that Zeref! I was happy for you and Mavis! I love her like my own sister why would I ever do something this horrible?!" It was then that he swung at me. I had no choice but to defend myself and my wife. I will admit that under ordinary circumstances, Zeref was a much better fighter than I. However, in his madness he grew clumsy and I disarmed him rather quickly.

Instead of accepting defeat and grieving over his wife, Zeref fled the chapel. I was left to collect Layla and try to pick up the pieces after such a tragedy. Our honeymoon became a time of grieving. But it seemed that the worst was yet to come. I received a letter from Zeref telling me that he knew I was behind the murder of Mavis. He was going to see that the same and worse befell me and my family and he demanded that I hand over Mavis' body. For what reason, I do not know. I did not reply to the letter. It was then that we went on the run.

I wrote to my father, telling him that there were dangerous men after Layla and I but did not tell him the reason. He assumed it was for Layla's powers. Together, we worked out a plan where I could keep my job in secret but also keep my wife safe. We would move frequently and change our names. Our names would be stricken from court records and everyone would forget about us. The only hitch in the plan came when Layla found out she was pregnant. It became too much for her to live the life of a runaway. So we settled in a newly forming hamlet to raise you, Lucy. And the rest, you know because you lived it.

...

By the time Jude had finished his story it was quite late at night. Silence fell over the small sitting area by the blazing fire lit by Natsu when darkness began to fall. Jude took sips of the tea Lucy had brewed when it sounded as though this story would go on for awhile. His voice was tired from his uninterrupted talking and the tea was soothing to his throat. It helped that Lucy had added some honey to his cup, knowing that the story would make his vocal cords sore from overuse.

Lucy stared at her hands in her lap. She squeezed them together much the same way her mother used to when something bothered her. Jude had noticed this habit as Lucy grew and it was bittersweet as it reminded him of his wife. There was much she had to consider, not the least of which was the possibility of her being a Summoner.

She didn't realize that her hands were shaking until warm hands closed over hers, stopping their movement. Natsu knelt before her chair and gripped her hands in his. "It is a lot to take in isn't it Luce?" he murmured to her kindly. She nodded, finding words hard to come by. "It's very late. Why don't we all get some rest and we can think on all of this tomorrow?" Natsu's idea was adopted and they all settled in for some much needed rest. Jude took Natsu's place on the couch while Natsu took the floor near the hearth.

As Jude lay on the couch he thought over his life and the telling of it to his daughter and her beau, some of the old feelings came back. With it, were feelings of worry for his daughter. There was still a large part of him that wished he hadn't promised Layla that, if Lucy ever showed signs of being hunted for her powers, he would help her learn of them. All of a sudden, the image of Natsu kneeling before Lucy and holding her hands came into his consciousness. _For some reason, I think if Lucy has Natsu, she will be able to win the fight Layla and I never could._

The next morning, Lucy woke early but was surprised to find that her father was already about. "I have to go back to town before my absence is noticed. It was known that I would be taking a trip for the day yesterday but I was to be back before nightfall. I did not realize that it would take so long to get everything sorted between us."

Lucy sighed, "Father we have much talking to do about all that you've told me. How much danger do you suppose I am in?"

"You are in danger from the royalty of Alvarez. Unfortunately, Acnologia is still alive and running the empire. Even worse, Zeref has decended deeper into madness and simultaneously has been given more power as Crown Prince. I cannot say how far their combined reach extends but I think we can be sure that they know you exist." Jude ran a hand down his face. "I was hoping that they would never know that we had a child. I was hoping that they would assume something had befallen us and we were dead without children. I guess I should have known better."

"This is not your fault Papa. From what you told us last night, there is something wrong with the royal family of Alvarez. I will do what I can to make all of this right, or at least end it somehow."

"I was hoping you would never have to. But as it is now, you ought to have your magic. Your mother sealed it away when you came into it and she knew she was dying. She also wrote a manual on how to train with your magic as there are not many who can help you with that. Not even Natsu will be of much help where your magic is concerned. When you are ready, come back to the manor and I will pass all of it down to you as well as tell you how to unlock your magic."

Shortly thereafter, Jude Kozern left the couple to head back to his work in the town. Natsu woke as Lucy finished making breakfast, groaning as he sat up. "Man, a night on the floor is not good for sleep! As soon as it warms up, I'm starting on those new additions."

Lucy set down Natsu's plate and slumped into the chair across from him. "Natsu... we may not be here long enough to do all of that. With what my father told us... my family has unfinished business. At the very least, I must continue the duties of a Summoner and try to see what can be done about the situation in Alvarez."

Natsu nodded slowly. "It might not take very long to do all of that though."

Lucy was quiet for a few minutes and Natsu knew his reassurances fell on deaf ears. Finally, Lucy looked up at him and something in her eyes convinced him that whatever she had to say, he wouldn't like. "You don't have to stick with me for this Natsu. The last thing I want to do is put you in any danger, especially with your position. This is my responsibility, not yours."

Natsu stopped eating and frowned at her. "Don't be stupid Lucy. Of course I'm going to help you with this!"

Lucy seemed distressed by this answer, "Natsu I don't want to see you get hurt! And you have Magnolia to run; you can't go running off with me doing who knows what!"

"I almost watched you die! You were laying on the floor in a pool of your own blood with some many wounds I didn't know what to focus on first! And now you think I'm going to let you go off on your own when there are really evil forces after you?! Obviously not! Lucy I care too much about you to not have your back!"

Natsu was getting very distressed and Lucy knew she would not win this argument. She came around the table and placed a hand on his shoulder. She squeaked in surprise when he pulled her down onto his lap. His face was buried into the crook of her neck and he tried to even out his breathing. "I keep seeing it Lucy. Every time I close my eyes I see you on the ground and when I sleep I have this nightmare that you didn't survive. That I was too late to save you."

His confession surprised her. She had never heard him cry out and he had seemed fine during the day. She knew that her condition had affected him because of his prolific apologies when she finally woke up but when they had finished their conversation it seemed like he was fine. "Natsu... I didn't know... I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around him and ran her fingers through the hair on the back of his head.

They sat like that for some time and when Natsu finally lifted his head, his breathing had evened out and he had regained composure. "Just promise me that you will not do anything without me. I'm in this with you for the long term remember. Besides, is this not a good opportunity for us to see how we work together when things aren't perfect?"

Lucy smiled fondly at him, "I love how you always manage to take a bad situation and get something positive out of it."

Natsu grinned widely at her, a grin which she returned. "Papa invited us to the manor when we are ready. He will give me the journal my mother wrote to teach me how to use my magic. And he will tell me how to undo the seal that my mother put on my magic when I was younger."

"We'll go whenever you're ready Lucy!"

"Thanks Natsu. But since this sounds really dangerous, I think it might be best if we wait until I'm fully recovered. In the meantime, will you teach me some hand to hand combat skills? I would like to learn how to use some sort of weapon but I'm not sure what I would be best at yet. And since my wrist is still in a splint, I think maybe weaponry will have to wait until that is healed fully."

Natsu regarded her dubiously. "Do you have to learn how to fight? It sounds like your magic will be more powerful than anything we've ever seen. Why can't we just wait for you to learn how to manage that?"

Lucy sighed. "I had a feeling you wouldn't like this. I don't want to just stand in the background casting spells or something while you are getting hurt fighting my battles for me. If I'm going to do this, then I'm going to _do_ this."

Natsu considered this for a moment before nodding. "Alright. It's a good thing you asked me! I'm the strongest around! When I'm done training you, we will be unstoppable! Those bastards in Alvarez won't stand a chance!" His signature grin spread across his face as he assured her of his prowess. An answering grin spread over Lucy's face as she giggled.

"Finish your breakfast Natsu! I want to start right away!"

 **So there you have it! Layla and Jude's backstory! What do you think?**

 **And now on to something I don't want to do but feel I have to address. Recently, one of my other stories has had a slight increase in traffic. I won't say which one because I don't want to draw attention to this person as they are looking for attention and do not deserve to receive it; I am merely using them as a platform to state my position here. A guest reviewer left a very short but nasty review. I want to start by saying that everyone is entitled to their opinion and I don't expect everyone to like what I write. I do, however, think it is completely uncalled for to use derogatory language in a review or otherwise purposefully try to hurt the feelings of the person writing the story. I am someone who knows what bullying and mental abuse is like. I'm a survivor. So it takes a lot to hurt my feelings and this review does not even begin to reach a level where it would hurt me. But there are others on this site who would look at that and be demoralized, especially some of the younger writers here. I have read several A/Ns on stories that I love where the author is thinking about quitting altogether because of garbage people leaving hateful reviews on their stories. If you do not like the way someone did something, in life or in a story, there are polite, kind ways of addressing your grievance. If you hate someone's story, there is a lovely little "back" button so you can leave the story and not continue to read it. You can even erase your browser history so you can act like you never saw it! The fact that this person did not want to leave any identifiers just shows how much of a coward they truly are. I'd be willing to bet that they dish out a lot of mean statements but they wouldn't be able to take it if someone did the same to them. I aim to put good into the world so it sucks when I see people trying to counteract that. Please, let's all try to be kinder to each other, even if we disagree.**

 **TLDR: There are horrible people in this world and I would rather we all just treat each other with respect. Thanks for listening.**

 **CC22**


	10. Chapter 10

10

Natsu and Lucy stood in the center of the clearing in front of their little home facing each other. Natsu guided Lucy through some warm up stretches to loosen her up a bit. Lucy was surprised at how tight her muscles were but Natsu explained that she had been in recovery from severe injuries and the tight muscles were likely due to under use. "You probably aren't as strong as you were before you were kidnapped. The first step is going to be building up your body so that when you fight you can be on a more even playing field with your opponent. First, we are going to go on a run through this forest. This is going to help you with stamina, strength and agility."

Lucy made a sour face at the idea of running but nodded. "I want to be able to help myself Natsu. I want to take care of myself so maybe what happened to me with Gajeel will not happen again. I never want to feel that helpless ever again."

Natsu's eyes widened slightly at her statement. He had not thought much about how the experience had weighed on Lucy's self esteem. She had always been strong in his eyes and he always wondered at how well she had bounced back after being beaten within an inch of her life. It seemed that even she was prone to insecurity sometimes. Instead of responding, he just nodded and took off at a light jog towards the tree line. Lucy followed him, keeping pace with him rather easily.

This did not last long. Lucy was amazed at how weak she actually was. Within about a quarter mile of running, her lungs were protesting for air. Her body wanted to take a break but she pushed herself to keep up with Natsu. For his part, Natsu had not changed the pace and was not even panting yet. He was, however, paying close attention to Lucy's condition. When he noticed her beginning to struggle, he pressed on, wanting to see how far she would push herself. However, once he heard her breaths become ragged and noticed the stumble in her step, he slowed them to a halt. "We will take a break here before we head back. You've done pretty well so far!"

Lucy could not respond for a few minutes as she fought to catch her breath. When she finally had collected herself, she glared at the forest floor, anger apparent in her body language. "I can't even go a mile without feeling like I'm going to die!" The statement sounded like it was wrenched from her chest, harsh and bitter. Lucy was surprised to find tears leaking out of her eyes. She wiped at them furiously, "Ugh! I'm so weak!"

Natsu watched her fight with herself. He knew that he had to let her fight this out alone. If he stepped it, he would inadvertently be telling her that she was weak and could not help herself. It hurt him to see her cry angry, frustrated tears and crouch on the ground as she battled her personal demons. He sat down next to her and just listened as she let everything out.

"Do you know I've been having nightmares? Every damn night I see his face in my dreams. I hear that damn laugh taunting me. I can't escape, no matter what I do. I wake up and I'm terrified. Sometimes, I can't go back to sleep and I actually like those nights. Because when I do go back to sleep, I see him again." Lucy choked through another sob, placing her head on her knees. "I'm so tired. So tired."

Lucy could not get more words out as her emotion consumed her. She cried over her weakness, her pain, her helplessness, and her fears. She mourned the tragedy that surrounded her parent's marriage and the circumstances of her birth. Finally, her sobs reduced to hiccups that subsided into deep breaths. Lucy lifted her head from its place on her knees and leaned her head back onto the trunk of the tree behind her. It was quiet for a few minutes as the couple listened to the birds chatter and the leaves rustle in the light breeze.

"So... what's next?" Natsu's question hung in the air between them for another minute.

"I'm going to get stronger. I will not let anyone walk over me ever again. And I will defeat these nightmares too. I won't let that monster control my life anymore. Because I've realized that I'm the one letting him scare me. If I don't give him that power anymore, then he can't touch me." Lucy was quiet for a moment before adding, "The next time I see him, I'm going to punch him right in the face and show him that he can't hurt me anymore. And that I can hurt _him._ "

"Alone?" Natsu leaned against the tree with Lucy.

Lucy tilted her head until it was resting against his shoulder. "No. Well I mean, I'm not going to let you punch him in the face. You got enough punches in; this time it's my turn. But as for everything else, I'm not alone. I have you don't I? And Papa. He has promised to help me as much as he can with my magic. And I hope that any Spirits I make contracts with will be my friends and will be willing to lend me their strength when I need it."

Natsu smiled; reaching forward, he grabbed Lucy's hand and tangled their fingers together. "You'll always have me. And for what it's worth, I think you are one of the strongest people I've ever met. As much as I hate it, I couldn't tell that you were losing sleep. You are really good at hiding your problems because you don't want to bother anyone else with them. It takes strength to be able to keep it together as long as you have. But I don't think it is good for you to hide your true feelings from the world. I'm not saying that you should show everything to everyone, but... well you don't have to be afraid to hide anything from me."

Lucy moved her head up slightly to place a light kiss against the column of Natsu's throat. "Thanks Natsu. I am so used to dealing with everything by myself, I guess I just did it on habit. I promise I will try to be more open with you." She squeezed his hand with hers and snuggled closer to him until she was pulled onto his lap. She laid her head on his chest, over his heart and listened to its steady rhythm, letting it calm her completely.

Natsu tucked her more comfortably on his lap and let her sleep. She had spent a lot of energy on bottling up her emotions and finally letting go of them had drained her. Even though he told her that he had not seen how tired she was, he had noticed that she seemed _too_ ok. He had a gut feeling that she was not a fine as she tried to make herself seem. However, he knew that if he asked her about it, Lucy would just deny it and go on like nothing was wrong only this time being more careful to cover up anything that might bother her. After the talk with Jude, Natsu knew that Lucy was close to her breaking point. He had decided that he would help teach her to fight but also decided that he would force her to confront her demons.

The couple spent most of the morning under that tree, Lucy dosing while Natsu held her and enjoyed the sounds of the forest. Finally, Lucy leaned back and yawned. "Thank you for that Natsu." she said. It was the most natural she had sounded since they returned to their little hovel. "I am always amazed by how the cold does not bother you but I'm guessing that your magic has something to do with it?"

Natsu grinned smugly, "Yep! I have a fire in my belly that never goes out! It also keeps me warm." Natsu helped Lucy to her feet as he got up himself. "Ready to jog back? I'm sure a jog will get your blood flowing and warm you up!"

Lucy moaned, "I hate running!" However, she still complied when Natsu began the jog home.

...

The couple continued the stamina and endurance training until Lucy was finally able to take off the splint on her wrist. At this point, her bruises had faded and she was gaining some lean muscle tone in her body once again. She was able to run two miles with Natsu without much struggle now but she wanted to go farther. Lucy found that she was beginning to enjoy running. While she ran, she practiced extending her senses so that she could pay better attention to her surroundings. She was getting better at anticipating hidden roots in the ground and branches that might give her a concussion hanging above her.

Today, Lucy was stretching out her muscles after the greatly shorter run that she and Natsu had taken in the morning. Natsu was pacing and looked to be deep in thought, possibly thinking about how to teach her his combat skills. Lucy finished stretching and rocked back and forth on her heels while she waited for Natsu to begin the lesson. "Ok! First, I want to start by asking what exactly you are trying to get out of learning these techniques."

Lucy was a bit surprised by the question and took a moment to consider her answer. "I want to be strong enough to at least defend myself. I want to be able to join the battles that will result from the power that I will be responsible for."

Natsu nodded. "You need to understand that there will always be someone who is stronger than you. Especially when it comes to magic users. Take me, for example. My magic allows me to change my body to one with a dragon's characteristics. There are not many people who could go up against a dragon and win; mostly those who can have Dragon Slayer magic like I do. But it isn't just Dragon Slayers; there are other types of magic that will enhance the strength of the user. From the story Jude told, it sounds like your magic is mainly of the holder type."

Lucy raised one eyebrow at him, "Holder type?"

"That means your magic is mainly concentrated in certain items. I think your father mentioned keys? Holder mages can learn spells but even those aren't usually the kind that enhance the user's physical characteristics. Your magic means that you should not be taking a leading role in the battles that you may run into." At Lucy's frown, Natsu raised his hands in front of himself defensively, "I'm not saying that you can't hold your own in those battles. I'm just saying that you need to be okay with leaving the main fighting to those who have that as their strong point."

Lucy did not like this idea. "I don't want to use anyone as a shield!" she protested.

Natsu huffed out a sigh, running his hand through his hair in mild frustration. "That's not what I'm saying. How do I explain this?" Natsu thought for a moment and Lucy let him. She genuinely wanted to know why he was saying the things he had said and she did not want to be angry at him since he clearly was not trying to put her down. "Look, you always like to have a plan when you do things. If we were planning to expand the farm, what job would you give me?"

"I would ask you to clear the land and probably build the fence around the farm."

"And what job would you do?"

"I would plow the new fields and sow the new seeds and generally cultivate the garden."

"Now why did you make those choices? Why can't I be the one who plants stuff and grows stuff?"

Lucy made a face, "Because you would not make even rows for the plants and you tend to weed out the good plants and leave the bad ones growing. And I don't want to have to clear the land of trees and stumps or build a fence since I'm not good at that stuff."

"It's the same when you fight! I, for example, am going to be better at physically attacking the enemy than you would be. That isn't to say that you can't defend yourself or act in a support capacity but I would never have you be the main fighter. If you were, the fight would become really bad, really quickly. If you can't summon spirits or perform any spells because you are too focused on beating people up with your fists, it might take longer to win the fight and you might get more hurt than if you stayed more in the background and cast spells or keep spirits on the battlefield."

Lucy nodded slowly, "You're thinking strategically. We should play to the strengths of our team and not force everyone to be good at everything. I understand. I still want you to work with me and get me to be as strong as possible. That way, I can be as helpful as possible to the team and play an equal role. I don't want to be the damsel in distress that always has to be saved."

Natsu grinned and nodded, "Right! But if you ever are in distress, I'll save you!"

Lucy giggled and ruffled his hair affectionately, "Thanks Natsu."

After that, Natsu and Lucy got down to business. Natsu showed Lucy how to form her hands into fists such that she would not break her thumbs and would deliver the most powerful punch. He showed her how to punch with a twist in her wrist and using the power in her torso to increase the force of the punch. Then he had her repeat her punches over... and over... and over. In fact, in that first lesson, he didn't teach her anything else. He didn't teach her new punches for several days; when Lucy got frustrated with him, Natsu explained that he wanted her to commit each technique to muscle memory so that when the real life situation arises where she would need them, she would not have to think about it. Lucy still grumbled but did what he said in the end.

This began a new routine for the couple which helped them get through the cold and otherwise boring winter months. Lucy build muscle tone throughout her body by joining Natsu in his morning exercises; she only did the number of repetitions that she could do. Having observed all of the different components that Natsu built into his battle routine, Lucy could only conclude that she _never_ wanted Natsu for an enemy. She could see why he might be called a monster by his enemies. Natsu was scary strong and he made it his mission to keep getting stronger.

However, just because she could understand why others might refer to Natsu as a monster, did not mean that she considered him one. Since she lacked a sparring partner that was more on her level, Natsu sparred with her. He pulled all of his punches and, while he did land hits that would leave bruises, he made sure that they were not damaging, only reminders of mistakes she made. Natsu would always care for any injuries that she sustained in their morning and afternoon matches. He did not allow her to pull her punches in return. "I have been trained to take hits, no matter how hard Lucy. Don't worry about hurting me. In fact, I want you to hurt me; it shows how strong you're becoming and gives me an idea of where we are in your training," he had explained. Natsu also made sure never to hit her in the face. "Wouldn't want to sully those pretty eyes of yours," was his reasoning for that. Lucy believed it also had something to do with the fact that facial bones were much more fragile and Natsu was afraid of doing real damage.

Every sparring match ended with the two of them gasping, dousing themselves in the cold snow that blanketed the clearing surrounding them. They would go inside and change out of their training clothes; Lucy would make some warm cider to give them new energy and warm their cold bones. While they drank, Natsu would go over the match and show Lucy where she went wrong and praise her for any progress she made. Sometimes, when there was not much to discuss, or when Lucy was feeling discouraged after a particularly bad day, they would talk about the time they had been apart. Lucy shared stories of growing up in the little village with her father while Natsu would share his own stories of becoming the Lord of Magnolia.

At first, living together was a bit awkward as it was not something that unmarried couples did without sordid rumors and ruined reputations. Natsu was overly cautious and Lucy was overly shy; they soon got over the initial awkwardness and settled into the comfort of a friendship that was slowly becoming something more. Natsu was the son of a dragon and had acquired some of the characteristics that his father possessed. One of those was a fondness for touch. When he guided Lucy through a new stance, punch or kick, he did not seem to mind how close their bodies were or where he had to touch her to guide her body. Lucy, for her part, would turn red but did not ever say anything. After all, ever since she had confessed to having nightmares, Natsu had made her agree to call him when she had one. Natsu would come running into her room and would wrap her in her coverlet then hold her in his lap until she went back to sleep. Sometimes, she would describe the nightmare to him but most times she would just cuddle closer to his chest and listen to his heart beating.

Lucy stepped outside and began her stretches. Natsu was still finishing the breakfast that she had made that morning with some of the last of their food reserves. Lucy looked up when she heard Natsu's footsteps, "It's warmer today isn't it Natsu?"

Natsu held out his arms and then appeared to sniff the air, "Smells like spring is coming too. That's good. I'm so tired of all this snow and ice. Makes me think of the stupid Ice Freak and I don't want to be reminded of that bastard."

Lucy giggled, she had heard plenty of stories about the guild Fairy Tail and all of its members. "When the snow melts, I think it is time we go see my father and I unlock my magic. I'm getting pretty good with defending myself; I think it's about time I learned the other side of my power. The side that I do not know anything about."

Natsu considered this for a moment. "I guess you're right. I just... liked having you all to myself."

"When this mess is all over, we can come back here and you can make the additions to the house that you keep talking about." Lucy poked him in the ribs, teasing.

Natsu danced away from her jabs and frowned playfully at her. "Alright Lucy! Let's get going with our match! I bet you can't land a single punch today!"

"You're on!"

 **So there we have it! Now for review responses!**

 **Guest: Thank you so much for the review! I am attempting to start an update schedule. My thought right now is to update by the end of the second week of every month. But school is about to start so I don't want to commit to anything until I have gotten into a school routine. This year is my last year of classes but it is also my qualifying year for candidacy (I'm trying to get my PhD) which is going to be very stressful. Writing can be a stress reliever so I really want to keep updating. If you want notifications, you can make an account here and follow this story so that you will get an email whenever I do update. I'm so glad you like my story so far and I hope you can keep reading it!**


	11. Chapter 11

11

Lucy looked around the little hovel one last time, running through everything they had packed to make sure that they were not going to leave anything behind. It was not as though they could not come back and retrieve anything they left behind but for some reason, Lucy felt as though she would not see their sanctuary for some time and she wanted to savor her last moments of peace here.

"You ready?" Natsu came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. It was as if he could tell what she was feeling and was offering what comfort he could.

Lucy lingered one moment longer before taking a deep breath and letting it out. "Let's go."

Today, the couple were going to move in with Lucy's father in the manor that Lucy had grown up in. Lucy was finally fully recovered, winter had given way to spring, and there was new definition in Lucy's body where before there had only been soft curves. Natsu was the one who had suggested that the time was right for the move. He felt that Lucy was strong enough now to handle the danger that faced them. Lucy had been surprised that he was the one who brought up the subject; Natsu was still very wary of Jude, even though they were trying to mend fences.

Natsu handled their bags even though Lucy had offered to carry her own. This was just another manifestation of his dragon instincts. Males did things for their queens and many times this was a way for them to show off their strength. Lucy had learned in the months that they spent together, that while she could push her own agenda at times it was best to let Natsu follow his instincts. This was not to say that Natsu was forceful in any way; rather, when Natsu was not following his instincts, it clearly caused him some distress. Lucy did not want him to feel counter to himself so she tried to let him follow his instincts wherever she could. Sometimes, there were little spats over Lucy's independence. Natsu was trying to let her have her own life as much as he could but it was sometimes hard to think about her in danger. Most of the arguments came up when they were discussing what Jude had told them. Natsu insisted that he could feel no magic from her and that he did not want her to endanger herself more than she already was. Lucy felt there was something more to her story than just her parents' history and refused to let things lie as they were. In the end, they skirted around the subject so that they would not fight.

The walk to town did not take long, after all, the hovel was just outside of town in a densely wooded part of the surroundings. However, instead of walking through the town, Natsu and Lucy skirted around the town to avoid being spotted. The story would be that they had come to visit Jude and that they came on the last train so that it would not be strange that nobody had seen them arrive. Lucy led them around to the back of her childhood home where the servants entered. The housekeeper was waiting to let them in, having been notified that they would be arriving some time in the spring. She had been instructed to keep watch for them.

"Well I don't think we were spotted, do you Natsu?" Lucy asked as she led him into the main hall of the manor.

"We weren't spotted. I also made sure to cover our trail out of the forest." Natsu sounded sure so Lucy did not question the matter.

"Lucy!" The pair turned to face the new voice and Lucy smiled as her father hurried down the stairs. He must have been in his office when the servants notified him of their arrival. "I'm so glad you made it. You look beautiful, just like your mother. Natsu, thank you for taking care of my daughter."

"I can take care of myself Papa!" Lucy protested playfully. She sent a smile Natsu's way to let him know that she was just messing around so that he would not get offended.

"That you can Lucy. Come now, let's have some tea and get reaquainted. Leave your bags here, when the servants have finished making up your rooms, they will carry them up. You're a bit early for lunch so we have time to talk." Jude led them into a parlor to the left of the main hall. Lucy recognized it as the Blue Room, named for the blue wallpaper on the walls. Lucy sat next to Natsu on a plush green love seat while her father took an armchair across from them.

"I think we should just get down to business. Lucy, while you've been recovering, I have been looking through your mother's old notes and journals. She had your magic sealed away and I have been trying to figure out how to unseal the magic. From what I have gathered, it has something to do with the celestial keys that she had and the spirits with whom she had direct contracts." Jude jumped right to the point.

"Direct contracts?" Lucy asked.

"The Summoner can call on any one of the spirits of the Zodiac, regardless of who holds their key. This is to help provide some form of regulation over the dispersal and treatment of the most powerful of the keys. However, when she calls on a spirit whose key she does not hold, it is considered an indirect contract. Those whose keys she is in possession of have formed direct contracts with her." Jude explained.

Natsu wrinkled his nose, "All this summoner business sounds really complicated. Too many rules."

"The rules are there because of how much power is being handled. I'm sure you have your own limitations do you not, Natsu?" Jude watched as Natsu processed this viewpoint.

"I guess I do. I mean, I am able to slay dragons but I can't hurt my mate. And I won't be able to hurt my hatchlings either. Personally, I try not to harm anyone who does not deserve it. The guild also has rules about how far we can go when we are doing our jobs and how much damage we should be causing. Although, I tend to break those rules a lot..."

"So do you still have these keys that you mentioned earlier Papa?" Lucy had been considering the new information while Natsu and her father chatted. She had a theory and was hoping she would be able to test it. "Natsu says he can't feel any magic inside me. I'm wondering if Mama didn't seal the magic within me, but rather tied it to a magical item, like one of those keys."

In the time that Natsu had been training her physically, he had also tried to explain some of the finer points of magic. He could not go into too much detail, having not made much of a study of magic. He promised that once they were able, they would contact Lady Levy McGarden and see if she would be willing to tutor Lucy in the finer points of magic. Since the two ladies had hit it off, Lucy had no doubt that Levy would agree.

"Natsu? Do you think that is possible? I'm afraid that I do not understand magic the way I probably should," Jude questioned.

"I know more about my kind of physical magic than anything else. But I guess it would be possible. Actually it makes a lot of sense. I am part dragon; dragons are creatures made entirely of magic. Because of that, dragons can sense magic no matter how sealed away it is. I am only part dragon so if Lady Heartfilia did a powerful enough sealing spell, it is possible that I wouldn't be able to sense it on Lucy. But Gramps trained me to be able to sense even the smallest traces of magic; it is part of the job description in Fairy Tail. It would make sense if Lucy's magic had somehow been contained in an item instead of in her body."

Jude nodded, "Well I was entrusted with your mother's keys when she passed on. She was convinced that you were the next Summoner and she wanted to save them for you. Before we begin looking into this further, how about we eat?"

The trio moved into the formal dining room where steaming plates of food were already waiting for them. "Now this is my kinda meal!" Natsu proclaimed. He sat down and eagerly awaited the signal to begin. Meanwhile, Jude pulled out a chair for his daughter before seating himself. Natsu noticed this and felt a slight twinge of guilt; he was supposed to be trying to win Lucy's heart and doing small polite things like that would probably help. Lucy thanked her father and waited until he began to eat before starting in on her meal. They were having roasted ham, mashed potatoes, and some steamed beans.

Natsu himself polished off his first serving quickly and started on a second helping of everything. Lucy was used to this although it did amuse her to see the stunned look on her father's face. What did slightly surprise her, and also brought her a bit of relief, was the fact that Natsu's table manners seemed to have improved. Normally, scraps would be flying around him and it was best to leave a three foot radius around Natsu and his food. However, Natsu seemed to be taking great pains to eat more carefully. When she caught his eye, she smiled at him, trying to let him know how much she appreciated his attempts at manners.

Lunch was finished rather quickly as all parties involved were somewhat eager to see if they could unlock Lucy's magic. Lucy herself was excited. She knew that her magic was a source of the danger she was in but it was also a way to deal with that danger. If she was being honest, it was also a way to be closer to Natsu and his guild. She knew that they liked her, regardless of whether or not she had magic. But they were dealing with things that she could provide no help for as she was now and that bothered her. If there was a way she could help her friends, keep them safe, Lucy was willing to take on the burden that came with her magic. Aside from all of that, and probably what was making Lucy the most excited, was the feeling that this magic was the last remaining connection that Lucy had with her mother. Layla had died when Lucy was very young and it was hard for her to feel connected to her mother as she grew older. Possessing her keys... using the same magic that her mother used... it was something that the two women shared, even though Layla had long since died.

Jude had a servant fetch the velvet lined case in which Layla had kept her keys when not adventuring. There were three golden keys laying on the small plush lining of the dark brown wooden case. Jude held the opened case out to her. "I would try the key in the middle. It unlocks the gate of Capricorn the Goat. He was with your mother the longest and was one she depended on a lot."

Lucy reached out and placed her fingertips on the cool metal of the golden key in the middle of the velvet box. It was as if the room itself held its breath. And waited... and waited... "Nothing is happening," Lucy finally sighed. She rubbed her temples with her fingers and sat down in the chair that was just behind her. "I guess I should not have expected it to be easy. What do we do now?"

"I'm not so sure nothing happened." Natsu looked at the keys with interest. "When you touched it, I felt some kind of magic pulse. I think maybe you should keep the keys with you. They reacted to you, maybe it just needs a bit of time?"

Jude went over to a small side table and opened the narrow drawer to pull out a key ring. "This will help you keep them all together. Your mother would want you to have them anyway."

Lucy attached the three keys to the key ring and clipped the keys around the sash at her waist. She liked the way they jingled; it stirred something in her memory, something about her mother but she couldn't quite reach it. Lucy looked down at them fondly and then back up at her father. "Do you have Mama's things packed somewhere? While we are waiting to see if anything will happen I want to see if she left any notes behind. Even when we do figure this out, it sounds like she might be the only one who could really tell me everything I need to know to wield my power correctly."

Jude nodded, "I saved all of it. I didn't have the heart to get rid of anything Layla touched. It is in the upper balcony of the library. You know how much your mother loved books. A love that she passed on to you, I believe."

Natsu was _not_ looking forward to spending hours in the library. He was not... a fan of books to put it lightly. When he was young, he had not been very good at his letters and learning to read had been a struggle. He usually escaped his tutors and ran off to find some kind of adventure, being far to fidgety to stay still and read. So when Lucy mentioned going to the library to look at her mother's things he _really_ didn't want to join her. He just knew that he would be in the way and would probably annoy her. Luckily, Lucy was an angel sent from heaven, "Natsu you don't have to join me. I know you don't want to spend hours with a bunch of books."

Natsu grinned sheepishly in response, "I think I'll work on some training of my own. I also have some work to catch up on. Is there a spare desk somewhere I could use to write some letters?"

Jude and Natsu left the room discussing a place to set Natsu up while Lucy headed to the library to peruse her mother's old journals. Lucy spent the entire afternoon in the library trying to find some hint as to how she could unlock her magic. She learned quite a lot about the magic she was supposed to inherit. There were specific phrases that held power which she knew she would need to study. The journal even mentioned a type of celestial magic known as Heavenly Body magic which was a cousin of the Celestial Spirit magic and was considered a subtype of Celestial magic. However, much to her distress, there was not even a mention of sealing up Lucy's magic.

Needless to say, Lucy ate a very quiet dinner; she barely paid any attention to the political talk going on between Natsu and Jude. It appeared that the two were getting along very well and the tension between them had evaporated. In the back of her mind, Lucy was glad that her father was getting along with her suitor but she could not help thinking about her own personal failure. It was something that stayed with her for the rest of the evening. Lucy went to bed early that evening; she could tell that this move worried both her father and Natsu but neither of them questioned her when she said she was tired.

Lucy was not tired at all. She had so many questions running through her mind as she slipped into her nightgown. Lucy pulled on a cloak and slipped out onto her balcony to admire the stars as they made their appearance. The night air was cool against her face as a slight breeze ruffled her hair. Lucy surveyed the land around the manor, including the garden which was her main view. It was there that she noticed the statue that marked her mother's grave. A wave of nostalgia swept through and the decision was made before the idea even formed in her mind.

...

Natsu was worried about Lucy. He could tell that her afternoon spent in the library had not been fruitful based on her demeanor at dinner. He didn't want to press her because he did not have a solution for what he knew was bothering her. However, not being able to bring the smile back to his queen's face was scraping at his instincts. So it was no surprise when he was quick to follow Lucy's example and head to his room for bed. His room was down the hall from Lucy's and he was pleasently surprised to find that it had a balcony. Natsu stripped down and sank into the bath that had been drawn for him. He had spent his afternoon working out and training in the fields near the manor and now his skin felt sticky.

Natsu fully intended to visit Lucy when he was done to do what he could to comfort her but he knew she would not appreciate a smelly dragon slayer visit! The warmth of the water helped to loosen muscles that had tightened with use. Natsu washed away the grime of the trip and the sweat from his training before stepping out and wiping himself down with a fluffy white towel. Using his magic, he dried himself quickly before dressing in a light tunic and canvas shorts for sleep. He always slept shirtless but again, Lucy would not let him into her room without the shirt.

A soft knock on her door was met with no response from within. Finding the door unlocked, Natsu opened it and peered into the room, "Luce?" Again, there was no response. Natsu stepped cautiously into the room. The ensuite bathroom was not occupied as evidenced by the open door, and neither was the balcony. However, upon investigating the balcony, Natsu noticed Lucy making her way through the garden towards a beautiful statue near the back. She looked etherial as the starlight shown down on her white nightgown. The cloak wrapped around her was blown in the night breeze but Lucy did not seem to mind it as she lightly ran her fingers over the bushes and flowers she passed.

Natsu watched as Lucy approached the statue in the back of the garden. Her pace slowed as she neared it and soon she stood before it and gazed up at it. She stood there for a few minutes; Natsu could not tell what Lucy was doing as her back was facing him but he did see her reach out and touch the stone on which the statue stood. As soon as her fingers made contact with the stone, a blinding golden light enveloped her and when Natsu could see again, Lucy was nowhere to be found.

 **...**

 **Oh no! Sorry to leave you all on a cliffhanger but it just seemed like a good place to end this chapter. I know I suck at updating but my life has to come first. I am working hard at graduate school and I had a really rough couple of months. I think things are taking a turn for the better now though so maybe I'll have some more time to write.**

 **Leave a review and let me know what you think! I hope 2018 is going well for all of you so far!**

 **CC22**


	12. Chapter 12

**12**

"LUCY!" Natsu yelled frantically when it finally hit him that she had completely disappeared. There was a strong magical pulse that came from the statue that Lucy had been standing in front of just before she disappeared. Natsu didn't even think twice as he launched himself off of her balcony and towards the statue. He hit the ground and smoothly transitioned into a roll to lessen the shock on his legs. Swiftly, Natsu ran to the statue, panic coursing through him. Lucy hadn't been able to restore her magic yet and clearly whatever had captured his princess used a very powerful magic.

Natsu did not notice Jude emerging from the mansion's garden entrance to investigate the commotion. When he saw the direction Natsu was running, he frowned and began to follow. His frown turned into a downright murderous glare when Natsu too was enveloped in a golden light much like Lucy had been and disappeared. "Dammit! She was here the entire time!"

...

When Natsu opened his eyes, he found himself in what he could only describe as the starry night sky. "What the hell?"

"It would be more accurate to call it Heaven," an amused voice suggested. Natsu turned to face the voice and his jaw dropped.

"Lady Heartfilia?!"

Indeed, Lady Layla Heartfilia stood before Natsu with her sobbing daughter clutched tightly in her arms. She was slowly stroking Lucy's hair and rocking gently from left to right in an effort to comfort her daughter. "Hush now Lucy, we haven't much time and there are things we must discuss." Layla murmured to her daughter.

Lucy sniffled and tilted her head back to look upon the face she had missed so much. She buried her face back into her mother's bosom for one more brief moment, taking in her starry perfume before slowly stepping out of her mother's embrace. Layla pulled a handkerchief out of her sleeve, a movement which almost started Lucy crying again it was so familiar, and wiped the tears from her daughter's face. "Are you real Mama?" Lucy couldn't help but confirm that the women who meant the most to her was standing before her once more.

"Yes my star, I am now back where I belong. I am sorry that I had to leave you so early but it was necessary. As was bringing you here. However, we will need to get Natsu some clothing from this realm. My protection can only last so long before the Celestial Realm has an effect on him." Layla led them into a small house that Natsu just realized they had been standing outside of. Once inside, he was handed a pair of trousers and a tunic to change into.

When Natsu returned to the little sitting room, Lucy was sitting close to her mother on a love seat drinking some tea which Layla had apparently prepared before their arrival. Natsu took a seat across the two ladies and politely declined the offered cup of tea. "So what is going on? Why did you bring us here?" he asked.

Layla took a sip from her tea before placing the cup on its saucer on the coffee table. "I brought you here because you were in grave danger. The man who welcomed you into the manor is not Jude Heartfilia. He was one of Zeref's nine Demon Gates, a necromancer named Franmalth. He was looking to assassinate Natsu and capture you, Lucy, to please Zeref."

Natsu's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. Lucy stiffened and looked at her mother with despair in her eyes, "Mama... what happened to Father?"

Layla placed her hands over her daughter's, "He is here with me sweetheart. He was assassinated soon after you left for Magnolia. They were trying once again to kidnap you because of the magic you possess."

Layla then signaled to the door which opened, revealing Jude Heartfilia entering quickly and hanging his hat on the rack by the door. "Father?"

Jude turned around and a look of sorrow crossed his face. "Lucy. I'm so sorry my daughter. I did not want to leave things the way we did. I am both sorry that I drove you to leave without saying anything, and glad that you did so you could live."

Lucy shook her head and looked down at her hands, "It is alright Father. I know you were trying to give me the best life; even if you were going about it the wrong way. Besides," Lucy looked up at her father with a small smile on her face, "I'm sure you heard an earful from Mama when you got here."

For the first time in a very long time, Jude Heartfilia smiled at his daughter. "That I did!"

Lucy sobered up quickly, "So you have both died and the man I thought was my father is actually some evil mage who can use the bodies of those who have died?"

Layla held her daughter's hands, rubbing her thumb over Lucy's knuckles in a soothing manner. "I know it is hard to absorb but there are so many other things we must go through and little time to do it."

Lucy took a deep, cleansing breath. "I'll process all of this when we return. Right now, I am too confused and overwhelmed to think about it."

Layla sighed, "You always were a stubborn one. Young man, be sure to watch out for my daughter. Sometimes she doesn't know when to rely on others."

"Mama!"

"Will do Lady Heartfilia!" Natsu grinned at the two women, one of whom was pouting.

"Lucy. As you have been told, you are the next Summoner. However, you are likely the last true Summoner. Times have changed and the world is a bigger place than it was when the Summoner was first created. Do you remember the bedtime story I used to tell you every night?" Layla turned the conversation back to serious matters.

"I loved that story. The daughter of the Heavens coming down to Earthland because she loved the people. But she realized that the people of Earthland had a lot of problems and so she begged her father to allow her to help those she loved so much and he granted her the ability to call upon her friends for help. She became a protector for the people of Earthland and she passed that mission down to her desendents."

"That is only the simplified version of it. You see, that is the story of the first Summoner. And every mage who was born with a magic that utilizes the power of the Heavens, originated from her line. Her friends, are the Celestial Spirits you call on today. Unfortunately, the protection she provided was against one of the greatest evils to face us and she was unable to completely destroy it. In fact, no Summoner ever will; she was combating dark magic." Layla's face became somber, "Dark mages were becoming more powerful and were interfering in the lives of innocents. Those who were trying to face them were few as many continued to be swayed to the wrong side. She brought the Light back and saved Earthland from catastrophe."

Natsu frowned, "I've heard that before too; that the Summoner is more powerful when there is to be another catastrophe. It's supposed to be because the Spirit King is watching out for us and protecting us. There are a few religious orders built around that very idea."

Layla nodded, "Yes. And he added another provision to protect the Summoner. When an especially powerful Summoner is born, she is provided with a mate. This person has a magic that will complement hers and will balance hers out. The mate's sole purpose is to help her control her immense power. This is not a mate in the more primal sense of the word, though many Summoners have married their mates; it is more of a match made based on magic. My match was Mavis. She was like the sister I always wanted but never had. And though many though she was merely an illusion mage, she actually possessed the Fairy Heart."

Lucy looked confused at her mother, "The Fairy Heart? Why does that sound familiar to me?"

"You are starting to regain your memories. I didn't have them blocked or removed, I protected them with a magical shroud. Your memories are tied to your magic and it would kill you if the shroud were to be removed completely. Your father's job was to tell you these stories so that the shroud could slowly be removed. Plans will have to change now that the situation has changed. What I will be telling you today will be the first step in removing the veil. Over time, more will start coming back to you and as it does, your magic will grow stronger. You must train hard Lucy so that the magic does not overwhelm your system."

"What will happen if I have too much magic and not enough training?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Magic tumors..." Natsu breathed. Lucy turned to look at him and gasped at the fear on his face and in his eyes. "Pops had those all the time and then he..."

"Natsu..." Lucy left the loveseat and knelt at his side. "Look at me." She didn't continue until Natsu's eyes locked on hers, "I'm going to train. And you'll be there to help me every step of the way. You said it yourself, we're in this together. I'm going to be just fine, I promise."

"Magic tumors are caused by too much magic contained in too small a container. Your father was a dragon Natsu. You know that. And he would not leave you unless it was absolutely necessary. And it was necessary but you both will need his help. You will need all the dragons to combat this new threat."

Natsu and Lucy both looked back at Layla. "Mama..."

"Are you telling me my father is alive? How do you explain his dead body in that bed! I buried him myself!" Natsu's voice increased in volume quickly as his own shock and agitation increased.

"Watch your tone with me young man. Your father made a very hard choice that day when he had to leave you but it was to save your life again! He saved you once as a babe and when the same danger cropped back up to threaten you again, he did what he had to do to keep you safe because he knew you had a bigger job to do. Listen to me Natsu, there are things that have been intentionally kept from the both of you. You can either be angry for a long time, or you can try to understand that things were kept from you with the best of intentions and move on with completing your mission." Layla's tone brooked no arguments.

Natsu stared at her for a long moment before his features hardened and he shook his head. "It sounds a lot like we are becoming tools in some perverted game played by people who think they are all powerful. I am not a tool and neither is Lucy. Maybe back when you were alive things were different but right now I am tired of people keeping secrets. Did it ever occur to you that maybe keeping secrets is what got the world into this mess in the first place?"

Lucy rose from her position at his side to stand behind his chair and regard her mother. "Natsu isn't wrong mother. All this secrecy and cryptic non-answers is not going to help keep us all safe."

Layla sighed. "I can concede that you both have a point. But magic tumors are nor joke; I will not remove the shroud on your memories and there is not enough time to reveal everything that happened in the past. It is more important right now that I prepare you both for your future. We can't change the past but I can make sure you both survive into the future."

Lucy nodded, "What do I need to know?"

"As you regain your memories, your magic will return. In order to summon a spirit you must use the key that unlocks their gate and find the door. You'll be able to sense it, the Celestial Spirit plane. As your power grows, you will be able to call forth Zodiac spirits with which you do not have a direct contract. However, it is very important to form bonds with all of your spirits, contracted or not. Bonds are what make spirits stronger in the Earthland plane and it also gives them the strength to lend you their power in the form of the Star Dress." Layla explained, "It is important, when forming bonds with your spirits to be completely open with them and when calling on them, it is important to have a clear mind. I find that meditation is one of the best methods not only form calming your mind but for taming your magic."

"Taming my magic?" Lucy interjected with a confused look on her face.

"Yes. You see, magic is contained within several containers known as origins. You have all three of your origins open but only the first is filling. As it fills, you need to be able to control it rather than let it control you. You need to organize your magic, help it fit into its container. Well organized magic does not form tumors. You will need to meditate every day and maybe even twice a day in the beginning. Try to form a contract with Capricorn first, he is very good at straining. And you will need to form a contract with Aquarius as soon as you regain your memories of her." Layla smiled softly at her daughter, "I'm so proud of you sweetie. But our time is up. I have to send you back before too much time in Earthland goes by and people panic that you all have disappeared."

Natsu looked around, noticing for the first time that there really was not a conventional way to tell time in this realm. "How long have we been gone," he asked.

"Well as time runs here, only a few hours. However, time here runs much slower than time on Earthland. In Earthland, it has been about a week. Now, is there somewhere safe that I can release you? I can't send you back to the Konzern, they will be swarming that place like flies."

Natsu stared pensively at his hands, "I... there is one place..."

 **So I've been having a really hard time at work/school recently. I've been under a lot of pressure and given impossible expectations which set me up for failure. And when I do fail, I am made to feel like a failure. Well, I decided last week that I wasn't going to take it anymore. I'm not quitting, not yet anyway. I'm just going to stand up for myself and live my best life. If it turns out that living my best life and finishing graduate school do not go together, then I will leave graduate school behind and work for other things. I encourage all of you to do the same if you are stuck in a similar situation. Never let anyone make you feel bad for doing your absolute best. Especially if you have asked for help and let people know that you are stuck on something and they haven't done anything. Ok, mini rant over.**

 **Point is, I'm hoping you'll forgive me for my absence and that you will enjoy this chapter.**

 **CC22**


	13. Chapter 13

**13**

Makarov rubbed his temples in mild frustration. He was currently sitting in his office above the guildhall of which he was the Master. The guild hall was actually Makarov Dreyer's residence; the tavern below was where most guild members gathered to have fun and solidify their bonds. The guild also had a small library and a conference room for meetings. On the second floor, Makarov had his office and there was an infirmary to care for injured members. The third floor was where Makarov lived. He liked being close to guild affairs and he did not want to have a manor of his own even though his position as Natsu's adviser allowed him a stipend enough to afford one.

The old man's current frustration was with a report coming in of a supposed magical event at a tiny hamlet over a month ago. He had sent some guild members out to investigate and while they detected a large expense of magic they could not determine where it came from. Worse still, Jude Heartfilia's body was found slumped over his desk with blood coming from his mouth. He hadn't heard anything from Natsu or Lucy and he was growing more and more concerned. Natsu, like all the younger members of the guild, was like his own child. He cared deeply for the boy who had gone through much in his short life. He had not had many interactions with Lucy but the way his grandson spoke of her gave him a high opinion of Natsu's chosen partner.

Makarov was not sure what he was going to do about this report. He was convinced it had something to do with the couple whose mysterious disappearance had been the talk of the Season. Laxus and Mirajane were now at the castle while Mira fulfilled her duties as the primary handmaid to Princess Hisui. He would have liked to discuss this matter with his grandson, whom he was grooming for the position of guildmaster, or Gildarts, a senior member of the guild, but both were not in town. He had just enough time to brace himself as he felt a sudden swell of a powerful, ancient magic before a blinding light filled his office and forced him to close his eyes. As quickly as it arrived, the light vanished and the magical signature died down. Makarov opened his eyes to find the two people he had just been worrying about standing before him.

Lucy was looking around at her new surroundings but her eyes quickly focused in on the elderly man sitting at the big desk in the room. "Gramps! I figured you would be here and this was the safest place I could think of for Lady Layla to deliver us." Lucy focused now on Natsu as he addressed the elderly man.

"Natsu! And this must be Lucy. My boy I was very worried about you two! I sent scouts to the Heartfilia residence after we received reports of a large expenditure of magic. It was not good. But I'm assuming you know something about that?" Makarov raised one bushy eyebrow at the younger lord in front of him.

Natsu helped Lucy into a seat and made the appropriate introductions. What followed was a long conversation to catch Makarov up on everything they had learned. Lucy came to like the old man, who just took everything in stride and only asked the important questions. When Natsu had finished explaining, there was a pause while everyone took in all the new information.

"This is big news indeed. A Summoner has not been active since Lady Layla disappeared and was feared dead. She kept her magic well under wraps so it does not surprise me that she could shield Lucy from her knowledge of the magic. My dear, it is a heavy burden to bear but I hope you will allow Fairy Tail to help you bear it," Makarov said at last. He sent a hopeful look at Natsu after he said it.

"Fairy Tail?" Lucy questioned.

"Mages have mostly been divided into guilds in order to keep us all organized. Some guilds contract with the government and the Magic Council which is a group of high level mages who form a sort of governing body exclusively for the magical community. Many guilds run as separate entities but of course most of their work comes from the government because the presence of magic is hidden from most of the population. Unfortunately, there are also dark guilds which pop up and take the more seedy or illegal jobs. Fairy Tail is an independant guild which focuses mainly on helping Princess Hisui. She contracts with us exclusively and in return, we provide her and her future kingdom with magical protection. Your mission falls in line with the goals of our guild so we will throw our weight behind you." Makarov explained kindly.

"So you say but none of us did anything to prevent Lucy from being kidnapped in the first place. And when she was, there was not a force sent for her even though we knew that those who kidnapped her were mages. Have you done anything about that situation Gramps?" Natsu's eyes were hard and only softened a bit when Lucy placed her hand on his knee.

"I can forgive you for that as you didn't know who or what I was. But I have been warned by my mother not to make promises I cannot keep. So my allegiance lies with Natsu alone. If he does not accept you, then neither do I." Lucy made her position clear. Gajeel and his "boss" had captured her in order to try and use her power; she would not allow anyone else to use her or make decisions for her.

Makarov looked truly repentant, "I am deeply sorry for how that entire situation was handled. In truth, I left many guild decisions to my Lieutenant Erza Scarlet; she took my instructions on wariness much too seriously and would not allow anyone to reveal the whole truth to you. I have watched Erza grow up and know of her fierce loyalty to the guild; I should have known she would go too far. I have spoken with her and I am no longer allowing her to make those kinds of decisions until she can learn to use her heart to help her decide instead of just her head. All I can do for you is express my sincerest apologies and assure you that I am trying everything I can to make sure that something like that never happens again."

Natsu considered Makarov's words for a few moments. "What were you so busy with that you couldn't make the decision yourself?"

"Actually, I was looking for Lucy. More specifically, I was searching for the Summoner. I knew of Lucy's existence; it is my job to know those things. However, Lucy had never exhibited any magical power and I was concerned that the power of the Summoner had been shifted to a different Celestial Spirit Mage or their family. Hisui herself gave me this mission. Relations with Alvarez have continued to deteriorate and their Emperor is making moves that indicate he is going to start a war. His magic is very powerful, and very dark. Hisui is afraid that the only way to combat the Alvarez empire is to have the Summoner on our side. She was hoping to ask for his or her assistance in this matter but nobody has been able to figure out just who holds the power."

Natsu looked surprised at this revelation. "So that is why you were so focused. If people are really looking for Lucy, then it means that Jude was right and Zeref knows that she lives."

Makarov nodded sagely, "Indeed. And he will stop at nothing to get his hands on her. The real question is why does he want her? The Summoner's power cannot be forced out of her. If she dies, the power will be moved on to another family so to have his hands on her when his intentions are evil will do nothing."

Lucy frowned slightly, "There was a lot that Mama did not have time to tell us. She said that we would be able to figure all of it out but I really wish that there were not this many secrets."

Makarov waved his hand as if to clear the air, "Well, fear not. We will figure all of this out and I promise that Fairy Tail will help you in any way you require. What is important right now is our immediate next steps. I can already sense some magic power within you Lucy and you will need to begin training right away if what Lady Layla said is true."

"Yes. Mama suggested that I try to summon Capricorn and make a contract with him. She indicated that he would be best for my training. However, as I believe she mentioned to me, Mirajane is off at Court performing her duties. I can no longer go back to the manor as that place has been compromised by Zeref's followers so I find myself in need of a place to stay." Lucy's brow furrowed in thought.

"You can always stay with me Lucy!" Natsu offered.

"You know I cannot accept that offer Natsu. It would not be seemly for an unattached woman like me to be staying with a bachelor like you. Especially without a proper chaperone." Lucy said gently.

Natsu pouted and crossed his arms over his chest childishly, "I know but I don't care what people say..."

"The solution is rather simple actually." Makarov spoke up, "I can inform Princess Hisui of your existence. There is no point in trying to hide who you are anymore as it is clear that our enemies already know about you. As the Summoner, you are entitled to land and property of your own as well as a stipend from the castle to keep the peace within Fiore. I will set up an audience with the Princess as soon as possible and you will be given rooms at the castle until a residence of your choice is made ready for you. The castle is well guarded and will keep you safe while you wait and there are plenty of training grounds for mages that you can use while there to control your growing magic."

Natsu's pout deepened at the idea of Lucy being all the way in Crocus and away from him for an unknown period of time. Lucy, however, perked up at the idea. "That actually sounds like a perfect idea Master Makarov. Please contact the Princess on my behalf."

Makarov nodded his assent. "For now, you can stay in one of the spare rooms off of the guild infirmary. If you and Natsu consent to accepting the guild's help, I can start setting up meetings with mages who might be able to help. I'll leave you to get settled but please let me know if you need anything else from me."

Natsu showed Lucy to one of the spare rooms on the second floor of the guild house. It had a nice view of the sakura trees that she loved so much and Lucy realized that the guild building bordered the eastern side of that park. Lucy unpacked the clothes her mother had provided from the Celestial realm. There were some dresses among the clothes that would be acceptable for an audience with the princess; this made Lucy wonder if her mother was somehow able to look into the future from her place among the stars.

While Lucy was making the small apartment her temporary home, Natsu was pacing in the small parlor. Lucy ignored him for the time being and put a pot of tea on to boil. Only when it was ready and she had two steaming mugs in hand did she force Natsu to cease his pacing and sit in one of the chairs by the fire. "Tell me what is bothering you." she ordered.

"You're going to the castle and I can't think of a reasonable excuse to join you!" Natsu burst out.

Lucy smiled fondly at him, "I wish you could accompany me too Natsu but I've kept you away from your own duties long enough. Besides, I do not wish to have a massive manor made for me so I shall be back quickly. I think if Master Makarov will let me, I will just continue to use these rooms for the time being. It will help me to save money and to keep a low profile while being protected at the same time."

Natsu only brightened a bit at that news, "I'm gonna miss you while you're gone though Lucy." Natsu finished his tea and fidgeted with the empty mug.

"I will miss you too Natsu but I promise I'll come back as soon as I can. And I can write to you while I'm there."

"How long do you think it will take?" Natsu wondered.

"I'm expecting around a month. I am sure that the princess will want to have some sort of party to welcome me and will want to give me titles and work out my position in her kingdom. I will also be taking advantage of the Royal Archives while I'm there. I bet that there are books on my magic that might help me with my training. I think this trip will be very good for me Natsu."

Natsu's mood was not improving with her words. She could tell there was something else on his mind but he was clearly not ready to say anything about it yet. The pair sat in silence while Lucy finished her tea. When she was done, she stood and made her way to Natsu's chair to collect his mug from him. As she bent over him to grab his mug, Natsu put a hand on her arm, "Lucy," he said quietly.

"Hmm?" Lucy tilted her head to look into his eyes and was startled when she saw how close his face was to hers. She did not have time to dwell on that because her attention shifted to the fact that suddenly his lips were on hers and he was taking her in a fiery kiss that had her insides turning to goo and her body melting against his. She closed her eyes and reveled in the feelings Natsu was pushing into the kiss. He had still not said those three magical words and Lucy had not repeated them to him for fear of pressuring him to say something he didn't truly mean. However, his kiss said more than words ever could. She kissed him back with all the love and affection she had for him.

When the couple broke for air, Lucy realized she had ended up on Natsu's lap. One of his arms was securing her there while the other one was cupping her face gently; his thumb now gently stroking her cheek. Lucy's arms lay against his chest, her hands resting on his shoulders. Their mugs lay forgotten on the plush rug beneath their feet. Lucy kept her eyes closed as she rested her forehead against Natsu's and fought to catch her breath. Natsu, too, kept his eyes closed as he savored the taste of Lucy still on his lips. "Promise me you won't let anyone else kiss you like that." he murmured after a moment.

Lucy let out a breathy giggle before leaning back in and kissing him sweetly. When she pulled away, she murmured, "As long as you promise to kiss me like that again when I return." She opened her eyes to meet the dark orbs of her beau. His eyes had gained the duskiness of desire but also a warmth that made a tingly feeling spread through Lucy's body.

"I promise." Natsu said softly.

"Then so do I." Lucy answered. She tucked herself under Natsu's chin and the couple cuddled in the chair until Natsu finally had to leave and go back to work as the Lord of Magnolia.

...

The following morning, Lucy woke early and dressed in a simple dress so she would not stand out as she headed to a small cafe for breakfast. She ate rather quickly and hurried back to her rooms above the Fairy Tail guild hall. She had learned that most people thought it was a club house for members of the upper class which is why she never saw townspeople entering the tavern area of the hall.

Lucy secured the door after entering and retrieved the velvet case containing the three Zodiac keys that her mother had passed down to her. Opening the case, she felt something pulse at her from those keys. Gasping, she withdrew her hand and regarded the keys in amazement for a moment. Slowly, Lucy reached back into the velvet box and withdrew the key that opened Capricorn's gate. She was very unsure of what to do next, though her mother had taught her the incantation to use. Lucy felt a comforting warmth flow up her arm which she realized was coming from the key.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, "Open, Gate of the Golden Goat! Capricorn!"

Nothing happened. Lucy frowned and clenched her fingers around the key in frustration. She searched through her memories of the conversation she had with her mother to try and figure out what she might be doing wrong. "I have to do it like I'm opening a door. I have to find the door..." Lucy muttered to herself. She was determined to get this right. Suddenly, the key pulsed again and Lucy was again aware of the warmth running up her arm. Lucy was flung into a memory:

 _A little girl watched as her mother stood in the center of the garden with a key in her hand. She swung the key up and appeared to be looking at something that was not present in the garden. Inserting the key into empty air, she turned it while softly calling forth the spirit she was summoning. A small dog spirit appeared and ran to the little girl who laughed in delight and ran off to play with it._

Lucy placed her hand on her temple and worked to get her breathing back under control. Briefly, Lucy wondered what spirit it was that her mother had summoned but did not focus too long on it. She now had a better idea of what she needed to do. Her mother had suggested meditation to help her focus her magic and since it looked like her mother could actually see the doors she was opening, Lucy decided to try and see if she could find her magic within herself.

She made herself comfortable in the easy chair before the fire and began to even her breathing until she was taking slow, deep breaths. Closing her eyes, she allowed herself to relax completely and began to focus her mind on just looking within herself. It was quite difficult. Stray thoughts would enter her mind and she had trouble bringing her focus back to the task at hand. Even when she was focused, she could only see the backs of her eyelids.

Lucy groaned and opened her eyes. This was getting her nowhere! Lucy paced the floor in front of her fireplace in agitation before inspiration struck. She realized she had only felt magic when she was holding one of the keys her mother passed down to her. Reaching forward, Lucy grasped the velvet box once again and retrieved Capricorn's key. Once again, she felt a pulse but this time it felt like one of encouragement and she realized that Capricorn was teaching her through the magical pulses in the key!

A grin spread across her face at this realization and she settled into the chair once more with more hope than she had all day. This time, instead of looking inward, Lucy focused on the feeling of the key in her hand. She became very aware of the cool metal pressing into her palm and of the distinct features of the handle of the key she held. Lucy focused on the pulses of magic she felt eminating from the key and as she did, she envisioned magic flowing into her. She timed her breathing to the pulsing of the key and slowly, a trickle of golden light appeared to her right. All of a sudden, Lucy realized that this golden light was the magic coming from her key. It looked almost like a fluid as it flowed up her arm.

Lucy followed the flow and was slowly becoming aware that this path led further inward than she had ever imagined she could go when meditating. The golden light trickled down like a waterfall into a pool that was slowly entering Lucy's vision. She looked with interest at the pool of what she somehow knew was her magic stored away so deep inside her that she had needed help finding it. Lucy pushed her consiousness out to prod at her magic and was not prepared for the shock she recieved when she "touched" the pool.

A brilliant flash blinded her inner vision and startled Lucy so much that she was shaken from her meditation. Lucy gripped the arms of the easy chair she was sitting in as she felt something flow through her and seem to fill up each crevice of her body. She was shocked and a bit frightened by the extent of the power that filled her. Lucy's breaths began to quicken as the fear began to move to the forefront of her mind. Capricorn's key glowed and began to feel hot in her hand, as if urgently trying to tell her something. Lucy gripped the key and suddenly realized that she could sense what felt like a door just out of sight.

"Open, Gate of the Golden Goat! Capricorn!" she cried, unlocking the door she sensed.

The loud sound of a doorbell echoed throughout her room and a golden light appeared and condensed until it disappeared, leaving a man-goat wearing formal attire standing in its wake.

"Excellent job Miss Lucy. You have done your bloodline proud by figuring out how to summon me. Let us make a contract quickly as I am going to be quite a drain on your magic."

"Contract?" Lucy stared in awe at the being she had summoned.

"You and I must have an agreement in order to work together. Even though you are the Summoner and you have immense power, it is still the proper way to conduct business with spirits such as myself. Now, for you I am available any time. I will begin putting together a training regimen that will get you into shape quickly and will aid you with this magic. Please feel free to call on me whenever you require assistance." Capricorn was very businesslike and serious as he laid out his terms. Surprisingly, this attitude helped to get Lucy out of her shocked state.

"Very well. Thank you for your help. If you don't mind, I would like to begin with some training right away." Lucy was starting to feel a bit tired from all the excitement but the sheer amount of magic she could feel humming beneath her skin was concerning her.

"I am very sorry Miss Lucy but you are still too new at this to keep my gate open for much longer. I suggest you speak with Master Makarov to help you in containing your magic power and learning the basics. Once you have the basics down, I strongly suggest you make contracts with the other two keys you possess. I will take my leave, so I do not continue to tax your strength." Capricorn bowed and faded in another shower of golden light.

Lucy stared at the key in her palm. Slowly, a smile spread over her face. She'd done it! She had summoned her first spirit! Lucy placed the key back inside the velvet lined box and placed it back on her mantle. She would take Capricorn's advice and speak to Master Makarov about how to handle her newfound power; but first, she needed to take a nap!

 **...**

 **And that's it for this chapter! Warning, bit of a long AN ahead. Skip if you don't want to read and know I love you all and want you to not make the mistakes I have made in my life!**

 **So I have not been updating very frequently and I have not been entirely honest as to why. I keep saying things like "grad school is hard!" and stuff like that. Don't get me wrong, graduate school _is_ hard but I was experiencing something a bit worse than that. I have to write a dissertation as the major requirement to earn my degree and to do that, I needed to work in a laboratory and complete a project. I joined a lab that I loved with a person who was a great mentor. At first. It seemed like a switch flipped and all of a sudden this mentor was not there for me and stopped teaching me. I was floundering, feeling lost and trying my best to figure things out. When I would bring issues up with this person, they would list faults I had that might be contributing to these feelings while committing to very little change on their part. I worked hard to mend these faults and still nothing changed. The emails I was getting were also starting to take on a tone that would make me angry and hurt my feelings quite a bit. I went to this person again and said that if things didn't change I would not be staying on in the lab. Commitments were made but once again, I felt, nothing changed. I hit my breaking point and went to one of my friends crying. She told me I had to talk to our program director and get out of my situation. So that's what I did. Leaving did NOT go well. My former mentor took it personally (I'll admit it was a bit personal) and was very hurt and angry with me. I was also angry at this point as well but I did my absolute best to remain calm and not show much emotion. That was now three weeks ago. I am now in a new laboratory and I must say I am loving it. Work is hard and I come home tired every day but I am accomplishing and learning so much. Everyone in my new environment lifts me up and is happy to help me when I ask for it. I now have at least four people I can go to for help at any given time so I have never once felt lost or like I'm drowning. I have regained the confidence I lost in the former situation and I now can envision graduating again. Granted, this move puts me behind a bit but if I work hard, I can still graduate in good time.**

 **I'm not telling you all this because I want pity. I am telling you this because I should have gotten out of the situation before it got that bad. I have done a lot of talking with my support group (friends, family, and trusted mentors) and each of them said I was in an emotionally and mentally abusive situation. They had been telling me for months that I needed to consider leaving the situation and maybe even leave graduate school altogether because this wasn't worth it. My physical health drastically worsened during the months when things were at their worst. I'm telling you all this because there are a few lessons I have learned that I think it would be best to pass on so you never have to go through what I did.**

 **1) NEVER stay in a situation that is in the slightest bit abusive. I don't care how much you like the job or how much money you are making or how much you love the person, get out; they will not change and they will demonstrate that the first time you ask for change. Believe them!**

 **2) Listen to those that truly love you! If I had, maybe this wouldn't have gone on so long.**

 **3) Cherish those who support you through all the bad times. I can't say how grateful I am to my parents. For the last month, I've called and asked if I could stay with them that weekend (every. single. weekend) and never once did they turn me away. They were both very worried about me and when I came home, they made all my favorite meals, listened to me complain, held me when I cried, and dropped everything in favor of easing my life as much as possible. I'm also grateful to my friend who let me cry and encouraged me to be brave and has stuck with me through all of this. And thank you all too! You don't know it but when you would write a review and ask for more of this story, it gave me hope. You showed me that I could do some things right and that there were some people who like something I gave to the world. Thank you so much for the kind words even though you didn't know how much I needed them.**

 **I pray that my story will help someone out there to get out of whatever bad/abusive situation they may find themselves in. Know that I am here for you and you can always PM me if you need to talk. Even if you just want to rant and let off steam. My updates will be much more frequent now that I am healthy, happy, and bursting with inspiration.**

 **Much love,**

 **CC22**


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